Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment
Also called: MoSJE · Topic: Safeguards for Vulnerable Sections: SCs, STs, OBCs, Minorities, Women and Children · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment (MoSJE) is a Union ministry that works for groups who have long been left behind. These include Scheduled Castes, Other Backward Classes, senior citizens, transgender persons and persons with disabilities. Its Department of Social Justice and Empowerment runs welfare schemes for these groups. A separate department inside the ministry looks after persons with disabilities. Its work carries out the duty in Art. 46, which tells the state to look after the educational and economic interests of weaker sections "with special care".
Example
In May 2026, the Department of Social Justice and Empowerment launched SHATAYU. It is a free national directory that connects families with trained caregivers for elderly people. By 13 November 2026 it listed 30,151 caregivers. The training behind it comes from NISD, a body under MoSJE. The Union Social Justice Minister also chairs the National Council for Transgender Persons (2020). This council advises the government on policy and hears complaints.
Don't confuse with
- Ministry of Tribal Affairs: this separate ministry looks after Scheduled Tribes. MoSJE handles SCs and OBCs.
- Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE): NSDC, which helps train caregivers, comes under MSDE, not MoSJE.