Lok Sabha Question No. 3108 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-11
Subject: Educating Minority Girls
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: Pankaj Chowdhary

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3108

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.07.2019

## Educating Minority Girls

## 3108.  SHRI PANKAJ CHAUDHARY:

Will the Minister of MINORITY AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether the Government is making efforts to provide better education to girls belonging to minority communities;
- (b)  if so, the details thereof;
- (c)  the school drop-out rate among girls belonging to minority communities particularly Muslim community across the country during the last three years; State-wise; and
- (d)  whether the Government is likely to take any concrete measures to reduce school drop-out rate among girls belonging to Muslim community and if so, the details thereof?

## A N S W E R MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

- (a)  and  (b)    Yes  Sir.    The  Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  implements  the  following schemes for  educational  empowerment  of  students  particularly  belonging  to the minority communities notified under section 2(c) of the NCM Act 1992 viz. Jain,  Buddhist,  Sikh,  Parsi,  Muslims  and  Christians.    At  least  30%  of  the targets under the following schemes are earmarked for girl students-
- (i) Pre-Matric  Scholarship  Schemes,  Post-Matric  Scholarship  Scheme and Merit-cum-Means based Scholarship Scheme - for educational empowerment.
- (ii) Maulana Azad National Fellowship - for empowerment of Research Fellows.
- (iii) Naya Savera - Free Coaching and Allied Scheme - to enhance skills and knowledge of students and candidates for employment through competitive examination and admission in technical and professional courses.
- (iv) Padho Pardes - Scheme for interest subsidy on educational loans for overseas studies in technical and professional courses
- (v) Nai Manzil- Scheme for formal school education & Skilling of school drop-outs.
- (vi) Begum  Hazrat  Mahal  Scholarship  Scheme  for  Meritorius  Girls  to minority  girl  students  from  all  the  six  centrally  notified  Minority communities studying in 9 th to 12 th .

The government during the last five  years  has provided  3.18 crores scholarships to students from amongst the six centrally notified Minorities.  Out  of  these,  girls  constitute  more  than  50%  of  the beneficiaries. These scholarship schemes are now being implemented through the National Scholarship Portal and since 2015, the scholarships schemes are being implemented under direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode to improve the efficiency and bring transparency by removing duplicity and stopping pilferages. Under Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram (PMJVK) projects such  as  development  of  additional  class  room  workshops,  ITIs, polytechnics, Skill Schools are being constructed for promotion of skill development. Under  the  erstwhile  Sarva  Shiksha  Abhiyan,  the  Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas provide residential upper primary schools for  girls  from  Scheduled  Castes  (SCs),  Scheduled  Tribes  (STs), Other Backward Classes (OBCs) and Muslim/minorities. Besides, the centrally-sponsored scheme of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) (which has now been included in the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan) envisaged enhancing the quality of education  by  providing  a  secondary  school  within  a  reasonable distance of every habitation, improving quality of education imparted at secondary level, removal of gender socio-economic and disability Further under Samagra Shiksha, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) which are residential schools are approved from Calss VI to XII  for  girls  belonging  to  disadvantaged  groups  such  as  SC,  ST, OBC, Miority and Below Poverty Line. A total of 5970 KGBVs have been sanctioned under the scheme as on 31.03.2019. Out of 5970 KGBVs, 834 KGBVs have been sanctioned in 121 MOMA Districts, enrolling 16.26% Muslim girls and 836 KGBVs have been sanctioned in 88 Muslim Concentration [SFDs] Districts enrolling 21.72% muslim

- barriers. girls. (c) The State/UT-wise details of average annual dropout rate of Muslim girls at  elementary level, secondary level and higher secondary level for the period 2015-16 to 2017-18 are available at udise.in. (d)    Yes Sir.   The Government has taken various steps as given in reply to parts  (a)  and  (b)  above  to  provide  better  education  to  girls  belonging  to minority communities as well as to provide them educational empowerment, so
- as to reduce drop out amongst girls of minority communities.

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