---
title: "SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 | Model Diplomat"
description: "The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 criminalizes caste-based violence and mandates special courts, crucial for UPSC GS-II polity preparation."
url: "https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/glossary/scheduled-castes-and-scheduled-tribes-prevention-of-atrocities-act-1989"
---

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Model Diplomat Research Team · Last reviewed June 22, 2026

TL;DR

- The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is an Indian statute criminalising specific offences against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and mandating special courts and victim relief.
- Why does the SC/ST Act bar anticipatory bail?
- How does the 1989 Act differ from the Protection of Civil Rights Act, 1955?
- What relief is a victim entitled to under the Act?
- Who investigates offences under the Act?

[Civil Service & Diplomatic Exams](https://modeldiplomat.com/learn/civil-services/glossary)Updated June 22, 2026

The SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 is an Indian statute criminalising specific offences against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and mandating special courts and victim relief.

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## Timeline

1. 11 September 1989

   The Act received presidential assent on and came into force on 30 January 1990.

2. 30 January 1990

   The Act received presidential assent on 11 September 1989 and came into force on .

3. 2 April 2018

   The 2018 nationwide Bharat Bandh on was a direct response to a Supreme Court ruling perceived as diluting the statute.

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Example

In July 2016, four Dalit men flogged in Una, Gujarat, for skinning a dead cow were recognised as victims under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, sparking statewide Dalit protests.

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