Minorities in India: Policies, Programmes and Status

Professor Sukhadeo Thorat Chairman, ICSSR New Delhi, India

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Outline

• Constitutional Provisions

• Policies and Programmes

• Prime-ministers 15 point programme

• Status of Minorities in India

– Population

– Poverty

– Employment

– Education

2

Constitutional Provisions Right to Equality

– Article 14: Ensures equality before law – Article 15: Prohibits the discrimination on the ground of religion, caste,

race, sex or place of birth – Article 18: Abolition of titles

Right to Freedom

– Article 19: Right to freedom of speech – Articles 21: Protection of life and liberty

Right to Freedom of Religion – Article 25: Ensures freedom of conscience and free profession, practice

and propagation of religion – Article 26: freedom to manage religious affairs – Article 27: Freedom as to payment of taxes for promotion of any

particular religion – Article 28: Freedom as to attendance at religious instruction or religious

worship in certain educational institutions

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Constitutional Provisions Contd…

Cultural and Educational Rights

– Article 29: Protection of interests of minorities:

• Any section of the citizens residing in the territory of India or any

part thereof having a distinct language, script or culture of its own shall have the right to conserve the same

• No citizen shall be denied admission into any educational institution maintained by the State or receiving aid out of State funds on grounds only of religion, race, caste, language or any of them

4

Constitutional Provisions Contd…

– Article 30: Right of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions: • All minorities, whether based on religion or language, shall have

the right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice

– In making any law providing for the compulsory acquisition of any property of an educational institution established and administered by a minority, referred to in clause ( 1 ),

– the State shall ensure that the amount fixed by or determined under such law for the acquisition of such property is such as would not restrict or abrogate the right guaranteed under that clause

• The state shall not, in granting aid to educational institutions, discriminate against any educational institution on the ground that it is under the management of a minority, whether based on religion or language

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Institutions Established before Sachar Committee for the Development of Minorities

• National Commission for Minority was set up in

1992 to protect and preserve minorities from attack.

• National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions was established in 2004 to protect and safeguard the educational institutions established by the minorities. This also ensure rights of minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice as provided in the Article 30 of the Indian Constitution

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Policies and Programmes Implemented After Sachar

Committee for Development of Minorities

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Recommendations of Sachar committee Report (2006)

Of the total 76 recommendations of Sachar Committee, Government of India has accepted 72 which can be grouped into following seven groups

I. Measures for affirmative action

II. Education

III. Skill Development

IV. Access to credit

V. Special development initiatives

VI. Waqfs

VII. Miscellaneous

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Prime Minister’s 15 Point programme for the Welfare of Minorities - 2009

A: Enhancing opportunities for Education

1. Equitable availability of ICDS Services

2. Improving access to School Education

3. Greater resources for teaching Urdu

4. Modernizing Madarsa Education

5. Scholarships for meritorious students from minority communities

6. Improving educational infrastructure through the Maulana Azad Education Foundation

B: Equitable Share in Economic Activities and Employment

1. Self-Employment and Wage Employment for the poor

2. Upgradation of skills through technical training

3. Enhanced credit support for economic activities

4. Recruitment to State and Central Services

C: Improving the conditions of living of minorities

1. Equitable share in rural housing scheme

2. Improvement in condition of slums/areas inhabited by minority communities

D: Prevention & Control of Communal Riots

1. Prevention of communal incidents

2. Prosecution for communal offences

3. Rehabilitation of victims of communal riots

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Programmes Implemented by Ministry Minority of Affairs

• Ministry of Minority Affairs- Under this ministry various program initiated after Sachar Committee. These are: – Pre-matric Scholarship Scheme

– Post-matric Scholarship Scheme

– Merit-cum-Means Scholarship Scheme

– Free Coaching and Allied Scheme

– Maulana Azad National Fellowship for Minority Students Scheme

– Research/Studies, Monitoring and Evaluation of Development Schemes including Publicity

– Computerization of the records of State Wakf Boards Scheme

– Corpus Fund to Maulana Azad Education Foundation(MAEF)

– Equity to National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC)

– Grant in Aid Scheme to State Channelising Agencies of National Minorities Development & Finance Corporation

– Nai Roshni-The Scheme for Leadership Development of Minority Women Scheme

– Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) 10

Education

• Pre-matric, Post-matric and Merit-cum-means Scholarship for minority students by The Ministry of Minority Affairs

• Maulana Azad Fellowship Scheme for M.Phil. and Ph.D. Student

• Maulana Azad Taleem-e-Balighan to improve literacy in Muslims, especially among women.

• Jan Shikshan Sansthans is for imparting vocational training among Muslim dominated districts in India.

• Block Institutes of Teachers Education (BITEs) in minority concentration areas

• Women’s hostels minority concentration districts.

• Madarsa Modernisation for Providing Quality Education in Madarsas (SPQEM)

• Coaching and Allied Scheme

• Maulana Azad Educational Foundation (MAEF)

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Skill Development • Multi sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) for

establishing ITIs and Polytechnics

• Learn & Earn Scheme for skill development of minorities

Access to Credit • Priority Sector Lending scheme to minority communities is

covered under weaker sections category of Priority Sector Lending

• Public sector banks will be advised to open more branches in Muslim concentration areas.

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Special Development Initiatives

• Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) was launched in 90 identified minority concentration districts (MCDs).

Waqf

• The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2010 has been passed by both the Houses of Parliament, and Waqf Amendment Act has been enacted.

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Status of Minorities in India

Population

Poverty

Employment

Education

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Population by Religion in India- 2001 and 2012

Religious

Groups

Population Size (In

Million)- 2001

Population Distribution

(%) -2001 2012

Total Rural Urban Total Rural Urban Total

Hindu 828 611 216 80.5 82.3 75.6 81.2

Muslim 138 89 49 13.4 12.0 17.3 13.9

Christian 24 16 8 2.3 2.1 2.9 2.1

Sikh 19 14 5 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.6

Buddhist 8 5 3 0.8 0.7 1.1 0.6

Jain 4 1 3 0.4 0.1 1.1 --

Other 7 6 1 0.6 0.8 0.2 0.5

Religion

Not Mentioned 1 1 0 0.1 0.1 0.1 NA

All 1029 742 286 100 100 100 100

Source: Census of India, 2001 Source: NSS EUS, 68th round 15

Level of Urbanisation across Religious Groups in India- 2001

Source: Census of India, 2001 16

Poverty across Religious Groups in India- 2012

Religion Rural Urban Total

Hindu 25.6 12.1 21.9

Muslim 26.9 22.7 25.4

Christian 22.2 5.5 16.4

Sikh 6.2 5.0 5.9

Buddhist 24.2 24.8 24.4

Others 33.6 6.2 18.5

Total 25.4 13.7 22.0 Source: NSS Consumption Expenditure Survey, 68th round Note: Based on official poverty line using Tendulkar Methodology

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Poverty across Religious groups by Household Type in Rural India- 2012

Household Type Hindu Muslim Christian Sikh Buddhist Others Total

Self-emp in Agri 22.2 23.8 30.0 0.5 18.7 52.5 22.2

Self-emp in Non-Agri 18.3 21.9 10.5 1.7 9.5 2.1 18.6

Regular wage earning 11.4 11.8 10.6 3.6 3.2 2.8 11.1

Casual labour in Agri 39.8 44.2 26.2 15.5 47.9 5.2 39.8

Casual labour in Non-Agri 33.1 34.0 26.4 16.1 14.0 57.7 32.7

Others 19.7 13.7 5.6 2.1 0.5 10.3 17.8

Total 25.6 26.9 22.2 6.2 24.2 33.6 25.4

Source: NSS Consumption Expenditure Survey, 68th round Note: Based on official poverty line using Tendulkar Methodology 18

Household

Type Hindu Muslim Christian Sikh Buddhist Others Total

Self-

employed 12.7 23.6 8.2 3.9 17.0 7.8 14.8

Regular Wage

Earning 5.8 15.8 4.4 2.9 12.1 2.1 6.9

Casual labour 32.8 35.9 3.8 26.4 52.2 33.0 32.9

Others 7.7 10.7 6.1 1.3 27.5 3.4 8.2

Total 12.1 22.7 5.5 5.0 24.8 6.2 13.7

Poverty across Religious groups by Household Type in Urban India- 2012

Source: NSS Consumption Expenditure Survey, 68th round Note: Based on official poverty line using Tendulkar Methodology

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Work Participation Rate by Religious Groups in India- 2012

Religion Male Female Total

Hindu 54.8 22.7 39.2

Muslim 51.1 13.4 32.8

Christian 53.7 27.1 40.3

Sikh 56.3 22.3 40.2

Buddhist 54.3 34.2 45.0

Others 58.0 21.7 39.9

Total 54.3 21.5 38.4

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round

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Religion Rural Urban

Male Female Total Male Female Total

Hindu 54.8 25.8 40.7 54.9 15.2 35.8

Muslim 49.8 15.2 32.8 53.1 10.4 32.7

Christian 53.6 28.7 41.2 54.0 24.8 39.0

Sikh 56.9 25.7 42.2 54.7 12.8 34.8

Buddhist 57.1 42.4 50.2 50.2 21.1 37.0

Others 57.9 34.5 46.4 58.0 9.7 33.7

Total 54.2 24.7 39.8 54.6 14.6 35.3

Work Participation Rate by Religious Groups in Rural and Urban India- 2012

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round

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Distribution of Workers by Household Type in Rural India- 2012

Household Type Hindu Muslim Christian Sikh Buddhist Others Total

Self-emp in Agri 41.7 28.1 44.9 42.5 27.5 69.3 40.4

Self-emp in Non-Agri 13.9 27.3 15.9 13.1 9.5 20.4 15.3

Regular wage earning 8.7 9.5 16.0 12.9 8.3 3.5 9.0

Casual labour in Agri 22.1 17.8 9.1 15.4 46.0 1.2 21.4

Casual labour in Non-Agri 13.1 16.8 12.8 15.5 8.6 4.4 13.4

Others 0.5 0.5 1.2 0.6 0.2 1.2 0.5

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round

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Household

Type Hindu Muslim Christian Sikh Buddhist Others Total

Self-

employed 40.0 56.0 30.6 56.2 11.5 65.3 42.5

Regular Wage

Earning 45.3 26.2 50.1 39.9 67.0 31.3 42.4

Casual labour 13.8 17.3 17.8 3.5 19.0 2.3 14.3

Others 0.9 0.4 1.4 0.4 2.6 1.1 0.8

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round

Distribution of Workers by Household Type in Urban India- 2012

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Distribution of Regular Salaried worker by enterprise type in India- 2012

Religion Public Private Total

Hindu 31.4 68.6 100

Muslim 17.2 82.8 100

Christian 33.9 66.1 100

Sikh 29.9 70.1 100

Buddhist 33.6 66.4 100

Others 26.4 73.6 100

Total 30.0 70.0 100

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round

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Distribution of workers by Occupation Groups in India - 2012

Occupations Hindu Muslim Christian Sikh Buddhist Others Total

Legislators, senior

officials and managers 6.5 9.8 9.5 7.8 2.4 19.4 7.0

Professionals 3.8 2.8 6.8 3.4 3.1 5.1 3.7

Technicians and associate

professionals 3.2 2.3 7.0 3.4 3.9 4.2 3.2

Clerks 2.1 0.8 3.4 1.4 2.7 4.5 2.0

Service workers and shop &

market sales workers 7.3 9.7 7.7 5.5 8.7 11.5 7.6

Skilled agricultural and

fishery workers 33.0 18.8 31.9 39.4 19.5 43.7 31.3

Craft and related trades

workers 11.6 23.5 12.0 14.3 11.1 2.6 13.0

Plant and machine

operators and assemblers 4.3 7.5 4.5 5.6 4.7 2.0 4.7

Elementary occupations 28.2 24.4 17.1 19.2 43.8 6.8 27.4

Workers not classified

by occupations 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.1

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round 25

Unemployment Rate in India- 2012 [CDS and 15-59 years]

Religion Rural Urban Total

Hindu 5.6 5.6 5.6

Muslim 6.0 6.1 6.0

Christian 9.4 9.7 9.5

Sikh 3.8 6.4 4.5

Buddhist 7.2 8.2 7.6

Others 2.0 2.4 2.2

Total 5.7 5.8 5.7

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round

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Religion 0-20 20-40 40-60 60-80 80-100 Total

Hindu 7.3 5.8 5.3 5.3 4.6 5.6

Muslim 7.5 5.8 6.3 5.4 4.3 6.0

Christian 13.1 8.7 9.9 7.5 9.1 9.5

Sikh 7.0 6.3 3.7 4.8 2.6 4.5

Buddhist 9.3 8.8 5.4 6.5 6.8 7.6

Others 3.0 1.0 1.8 2.8 1.9 2.2

Total 7.5 5.9 5.5 5.4 4.6 5.7

Unemployment Rate by Quintile Groups in India- 2012

[CDS and 15-59 years]

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round

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Religion 15-24 25-44 45-59 60+ Total

Hindu 13.0 4.6 2.9 3.1 5.5

Muslim 13.6 3.6 2.8 1.8 5.8

Christian 26.5 7.6 3.6 5.4 9.2

Sikh 11.7 3.3 1.2 1.7 4.2

Buddhist 21.5 4.5 4.2 15.1 8.2

Others 11.9 0.8 0.2 0.0 2.4

Total 13.4 4.5 2.9 3.1 5.6

Unemployment Rate by Age Groups in India- 2012 [CDS]

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round

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Religion Hindu Muslim Christian Sikh Buddhist Others Total

Illiterate 4.7 4.5 5.7 2.1 9.5 1.0 4.6

Below primary 4.8 5.1 1.2 5.2 1.0 0.8 4.7

Primary 5.1 5.2 6.4 4.6 6.1 2.3 5.2

Middle 5.6 6.1 8.5 2.9 11.6 3.2 5.7

Secondary 5.1 6.7 10.2 3.2 5.8 3.0 5.4

Higher secondary 6.0 9.5 16.7 6.5 5.7 2.2 6.6

Diploma 10.3 11.0 13.8 6.7 6.6 9.0 10.5

Graduate 8.1 12.8 14.2 11.1 12.4 0.4 8.6

Total 5.6 6.0 9.5 4.5 7.6 2.2 5.7

Unemployment Rate by Educational Levels in India- 2012

[CDS and 15-59 years]

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round 29

Literacy Rate- 2012

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round 30

Literacy Rate by Quintile Groups- 2012

Religion 0-20 20-40 40-60 60-80 80-100 Total

Hindu 66.7 71.6 74.1 77.8 83.4 75.0

Muslim 64.6 71.1 72.2 75.1 78.5 71.6

Christian 77.7 83.6 85.3 91.2 94.5 87.4

Sikh 64.7 71.0 76.7 79.5 87.2 77.6

Buddhist 78.7 75.1 84.8 85.8 85.6 81.3

Others 70.9 70.2 85.0 89.5 93.7 85.4

Total 66.7 71.7 74.2 78.0 83.5 75.0

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round 31

Educational Levels- 2012

Religion Hindu Muslim Christian Sikh Buddhist Others Total

Illiterate 31.2 36.2 18.9 28.1 24.6 19.8 31.5

Below

primary 17.7 20.9 15.4 13.5 14.1 16.5 18

Primary 13.5 15.3 15.3 15.7 16.9 12 13.8

Middle 13.8 12.6 16.6 11.4 16.6 11.7 13.7

Secondary 10.1 7.7 12.5 14.9 12.8 12.7 9.9

Higher

secondary 6.5 4 8.3 9.4 9.3 9.9 6.3

Diploma 0.9 0.5 3 0.6 0.9 1.2 0.9

Graduate

and above 6.3 2.7 9.9 6.4 4.8 16.2 5.9

Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 100

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round 32

2008

Religion

Primary

&

Middle

Secondar

y & HS

Higher

Education

Hindu 98.6 61.8 18.3

Muslim 89.0 43.2 9.5

Christian 99.5 78.9 29.0

Sikh 101.0 64.2 16.5

Buddhist 101.8 68.4 20.2

Others 104.9 68.2 27.6

Total 97.2 59.5 17.2

Source: NSSO survey on Education and Participation, 2007-08

Religion

Primary

&

Middle

Seconda

ry & HS

Higher

Educatio

n

Hindu 101.8 84.8 29.8

Muslim 94.7 66.7 15.8

Christian 100.1 93.4 40.1

Sikh 106.1 85.0 30.6

Buddhist 100.2 96.3 29.9

Others 104.0 76.1 61.8

Total 100.7 82.2 28.0

2012

Source: NSS employment and unemployment Survey, 68th round

Gross Attendance Ratio

33

Thank you

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