The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017, passed by the Lok Sabha on 10 April 2017, sought to give Constitutional status to which national body?

Introduction / Context:
Constitutional amendment Bills often aim to strengthen certain institutions by giving them Constitutional status. The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017, is important in the context of social justice and the rights of socially and educationally backward classes. This question asks you to identify which national body was proposed to be given Constitutional status by this specific amendment Bill.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The Bill mentioned is the Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017.
- It was passed by the Lok Sabha on 10 April 2017.
- The options list four national level institutions: National Human Rights Commission, National Commission on Backward Classes, National Finance Commission and National Commission for Women.
- Only one of these was the subject of the 123rd Amendment in the context of obtaining Constitutional status.

Concept / Approach:
The National Commission on Backward Classes (NCBC) was originally a statutory body created under an Act of Parliament. There was a long standing demand to give it Constitutional status similar to that enjoyed by the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes. The 123rd Amendment Bill aimed to insert relevant provisions in the Constitution to elevate NCBC to a Constitutional body. The other listed bodies either already have a different type of status or were not linked to this particular amendment. The approach is to recall this association between the 123rd Amendment and NCBC.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that the 123rd Constitutional Amendment Bill dealt with issues related to socially and educationally backward classes. Step 2: Remember that the National Commission on Backward Classes was a statutory body whose status was proposed to be raised to that of a Constitutional body through this amendment. Step 3: Note that the National Human Rights Commission functions under a separate Act and was not the focus of the 123rd Amendment Bill. Step 4: Understand that the Finance Commission already has Constitutional status under Article 280 and therefore does not match the description of an institution being newly granted such status by this amendment. Step 5: Recognise that the National Commission for Women is also a statutory body but was not the subject of this particular amendment Bill. Step 6: Conclude that the body whose Constitutional status was sought by the 123rd Amendment Bill is the National Commission on Backward Classes.

Verification / Alternative check:
Standard current affairs notes and Constitutional law references discussing the 123rd Amendment Bill consistently state that it aimed to give Constitutional status to the National Commission on Backward Classes. They highlight proposed changes such as insertion of new Articles and modifications regarding the powers and functions of NCBC. The same sources do not link this amendment Bill to the National Human Rights Commission, Finance Commission or National Commission for Women, which confirms that option B is correct.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, National Human Rights Commission, is wrong because this commission was set up under the Protection of Human Rights Act and was not the institution targeted by the 123rd Amendment Bill for Constitutional status.

Option C, National Finance Commission, is wrong because the Finance Commission is already a Constitutional body under Article 280, and the amendment in question did not seek to change that status.

Option D, National Commission for Women, is wrong because, although it is a statutory body, it was not the subject of the 123rd Constitutional Amendment Bill that was debated and passed in 2017.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to confuse different commissions because many have similar sounding names and overlapping themes such as human rights, women's rights and social justice. Another mistake is to assume that any commission dealing with rights must have been the focus of this amendment without checking the specific context of backward classes. To avoid such errors, students should remember that the 123rd Amendment is associated with the National Commission on Backward Classes and the broader debate on reservations and identification of backward classes.

Final Answer:
The Constitution (One Hundred and Twenty-Third Amendment) Bill, 2017, sought to give Constitutional status to the National Commission on Backward Classes.