Correct Option (b):
Statement 2 is correct. The Constitution of India uses the term "backward classes" in various provisions, such as Articles 15(4), 16(4), and 340, to facilitate special provisions for their advancement. However, the Constitution does not provide an explicit or precise definition for "backward classes." Instead, it empowers the President, under Article 340, to appoint a commission to investigate the conditions of socially and educationally backward classes and make recommendations for their upliftment. The identification of these classes is thus left to statutory mechanisms rather than being constitutionally defined.
Incorrect Options:
Statement 1 is incorrect. Article 39(d) of the Constitution of India, located within the Directive Principles of State Policy (Part IV), explicitly directs the State to ensure that "there is equal pay for equal work for both men and women." Although Directive Principles are not justiciable, they are considered fundamental in the governance of the country and guide the State in making laws and policies. Therefore, a specific constitutional provision exists to encourage equal pay for equal work for both genders.