(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?
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 9th to 12th.
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 barriers.
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 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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