Lok Sabha Question No. 3623 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-08-10
Subject: Share of Minority Communities in Higher Education
Ministry: MINORITY AFFAIRS
Asked by: D. Ravikumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF MINORITY AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3623 ANSWERED ON 10.08.2023

## Share of Minority Communities in Higher Education

## 3623. SHRI RAVIKUMAR D.:

Will the Minister of Minority Affairs be pleased to state:

(a) the details of the share of minority communities in higher education during the period from year 2014 to 2022, year and community-wise;

(b) whether there is any plan to develop Madarsas into modern educational centres;

- (c) if so, the details thereof;

(d) whether there is also any plan to revive Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) scheme or introduce a new fellowship scheme; and

- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS (SHRIMATI SMRITI ZUBIN IRANI)

(a): The Government has implemented various schemes for the welfare and upliftment of every strata, including minorities, especially the economically weaker and lesser privileged sections of the society, through various schemes of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Rural Development.

Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  has  specifically  implemented  various  schemes,  including  PreMatric, Post Matric and Merit-cum-Means Scholarship schemes, across the country for socioeconomic and educational empowerment of the six notified minority communities.

As per All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), total share of minority enrolment against total enrolment, during period 2014-15 to 2020-21 is given below:

| Survey Year   | Total Enrolment              | Total Enrolment from Minority communities   |
|---------------|------------------------------|---------------------------------------------|
| 2014-15       | 3,42,11,637                  | 21,83,184                                   |
| 2015-16       | 3,45,84,781                  | 22,96,671                                   |
| 2016-17       | 3,57,05,905                  | 25,30,747                                   |
| 2017-18       | 3,66,42,378                  | 26,45,236                                   |
| 2018-19       | 3,73,99,388                  | 28,27,104                                   |
| 2019-20       | 3,85,36,359                  | 29,88,610                                   |
| 2020-21       | 4,13,80,713                  | 27,51,579                                   |
| 2021-22       | No data compiled for 2021-22 | No data compiled for 2021-22                |

- (b) & (c): No Sir. There is no such plan as of now.
- (d) & (e): The Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India has been implementing the Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF) Scheme on the lines of the JRF Scheme of UGC and  CSIR.  The  UGC  and  CSIR  Fellowship  Schemes  are  open  for  candidates  of  all  social categories  and  communities  including  minorities.  In  addition  to  this,  students  from  minority communities are also covered under the Fellowship Schemes being implemented by Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment and Ministry of Tribal Affairs for SC and OBC students and for ST  students  respectively.  In  view  of  the  overlap  among  the  aforesaid  Schemes  -  it  has  been decided to discontinue the MANF Scheme from 2022-23 onwards. The existing MANF Fellows will continue to receive Fellowships till the end of their respective tenure, subject to compliance with the extant guidelines. As of now, there is no proposal to revive the MANF.

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