Minorities are groups of people who do not enjoy a proportionate share of social, economic, or political power in a society. The Constitution of India does not define the word ‘Minority’ and only refers to ‘Minorities’ and speaks of those ‘based on religion or language’, the rights of the minorities have been spelt out in the Constitution in detail.

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According   to   the   Report   of   National   Commission   for   Religious and Linguistic Minorities, 2007, two types of minorities are recognised in India – Religious Minorities and Linguistic Minorities. Religious minorities include: Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi (Zoroastrian) and Jain. As regards Linguistic Minorities, there is no majority at the national level and so the minority status is to be essentially decided at the State/Union Territory level.

Constitutional rights and safeguards provided to the minorities in India

The Constitution has adopted several safeguards to protect minorities in the country. Some of these rights are common to all the citizens, including minorities.  These rights are enshrined in the following Articles of the Constitution:

• Article 15 prohibits discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, sex or place of birth.
• Article 16 ensures equality of opportunity in matters of public employment  and  makes  provisions  for  certain  “Classes”  for  employment,  appointment  and  promotion  in  the  services  under the State.
• Article 25 ensures freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.
• Article 26   ensures      the   right   to   manage   religious   institutions, religious affairs, subject to public order, morality and health.
• Article 27  ensures  freedom  from  payment  of  taxes  for  promotion of any particular religion
• Article 28  ensures  freedom  to  attend  religious  worship  in  religious  institution  or  religious  worship  in  certain  educational institutions.
• Article 29 gives minorities the right to conserve their language, script, and culture.
• Article 30  gives  the  right  to  minorities  to  establish  and  administer educational institutions.
• Article 347 allows use of minority languages for official purpose.
• Article 350 directs the State to allow the use of minority language for redressal of grievances.
• Article 350A  directs  the  State  to  provide  facilities  to linguistic  minority  groups  for  instruction  in  the  mother  tongue at the primary stage of education.
• Article 350B provides provision for a special officer for linguistic minorities to be appointed by the President.

Several affirmative actions have been taken for education of minorities.  Articles 29 and 30 in the Constitution of India contain provisions for running of own institutions by minority groups.  In  addition,  National  Commission  for  Minorities  Act,  1992  (NCM)  and  National  Commission  for  Minorities  Educational  Institutions  Act,  2004  (NCMEI)  (modified  in 2006 and 2010) have been enacted under Acts passed by the Parliament.

Ministry of Human Resource Development has taken several significant initiatives such as:

• Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM);
• Scheme for   Infrastructure   Development   of   (Private   Aided/Unaided) Minority Institutions (IDMI);
• Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA);
• Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs);
• Extension of Mid-Day Meal (MDM) Scheme to Madrasas/Maqtabs;
• Saakshar Bharat;
• Jan Shikshan Sansthan (JSS);
• Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA);
• Strengthening of the National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL);
• Establishment of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI);
• Establishment of  National  Monitoring  Committee  for  Minorities Education (NMCME);
• Identification of Minority Concentration Districts (MCDs);
• Girls Hostel Scheme; and
• Setting up Model Schools

1. The Ministry of Minority Affairs has taken several initiatives for the educational development of minorities such as:

• Pre-Matric Scholarship.
• Post-Metric Scholarship.
• Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship.
• Naya Savera (Free Coaching and Allied Schemes).
• Exclusive new component for meritorious students of Science stream (Coaching Schemes).
• Nai Udaan – Support for students clearing Prelims conducted by   UPSC,   SSC,   State   Public   Service   Commissions, etc., for preparation of Mains Examination.
• Padho Pardesh – Interest subsidy on educational loans for overseas studies.
• Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF).
• Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF).
• Minority Cyber Gram (Digital Literacy).
• Seekho Aur Kamao (Learn & Earn) – Skill Development initiative for minorities.
• Upgrading Skill and Training in Traditional Arts/Crafts for Development (USTTAD).
• Nai Manzil – A scheme to provide education and skill training to the youth from minority communities.
• Concessional loans   to   minorities   through   National   Minorities Development & Finance Corporation (NMDFC).
• Hamari Dharohar – To preserve rich heritage and culture of minorities.
• Nai Roshni – A scheme for leadership development of minority women.

Conclusion:

India has always embraced diversity, becoming a vast ocean of cultures, religions, ethnicities, beliefs and practices. With such diversity, it becomes necessary to give each community their due, without inciting any conflicts. This plethora of diversity in our democratic nation makes the minority communities at times vulnerable, calling for sturdy laws to protect their rights. Moreover, it becomes the duty of the state to ensure that human rights are available to all citizens, irrespective of caste, colour, or creed.