C) The Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act is a special provision for the advancement of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, which is based on the Doctrine of Protective Discrimination.Protective discrimination is the policy of granting special privileges to the the underprivileged sections of society, like Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and women. These are affirmative action programs, where there has been a history of racial and caste discrimination. The practice is prominent in India,where it has been enshrined in the Constitution and institutionalised.