Question : Problems faced by Minority Communities

(a) whether the Government is aware about the problems being faced by minority communities in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(b) the schemes aimed to empower the students belonging to minority communities in the country;

(c) whether the Government has recently reviewed the Centrally Sponsored Scholarship Scheme and Free Coaching and Allied Schemes for minority communities students and if so, the details thereof;

(d) the details of coaching institutions providing free coaching to minority students in the country, State-wise; and

(e) the details of the students benefited under Scholarship Scheme and Free Coaching and Allied Scheme during the last two years and the current year, State-wise

MINISTER OF MINORITY AFFAIRS
(SHRI MUKHTAR ABBAS NAQVI)

(a) and (b) Yes Sir, The Six notified minorities of Muslims, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians have both common and other socio-economic and educational issues specific to their communities. These relate to literacy rates, economic empowerment, preservation of traditional heritage and skills, access to better infrastructure etc.


Schemes for Educational Empowerment of minority community students are as follows:-

• Scholarship Schemes – Pre-Matric, Post-Metric, Merit –cum- Means
• Maulana Azad National Fellowship (MANF)
• Padho Pardesh - Scheme of Interest Subsidy on Educational Loans for Overseas Studies for the Students Belonging to the Minority Communities
• Nai Manzil - Under the Nai Manzil scheme, there is an education component for Minority Youth who were left out from Formal Education.
• Begum Hazrat Mahal Scholarship Scheme for girls is implemented by Maulana Azad Educaation Foundation (MAEF), an autonomous body of the Ministry.

Free Coaching & Allied Scheme (Naya Savera) – The Scheme aims to provide free coaching to students/candidates belonging to minority communities for qualifying in entrance examinations of technical/ professional courses and Competitive examinations for recruitment to Group ‘A’ , ‘B’ and ‘C’ level.

Nai Udaan - Support to minority candidates clearing Prelims conducted by UPSC/SSC, State Public Service Commission (PSC) – The scheme aims to provide financial support to the minority community candidates clearing prelims conducted by Union Public Service Commission, Staff Selection Commission and State Public Service Commissions for preparation of their mains exams.
(c): No review has been done for Scholarship Schemes. In the case of Free Coaching and Allied Scheme, the same has been reviewed and suitably revised wherever necessary during the year 2017-18 for continuation upto 2019-20.The following major changes have been made in revised scheme:
(i) The coaching institutions/organisations registered on NITI Aayog Portal can only apply under the scheme.
(ii) The limit of family income of beneficiary has been enhanced from 3 lakh to 6 lakh for availing of the benefit under the scheme.
(iii) The organisations/institutions have to mandatorily implement EAT module of PFMS.
(iv) Two new courses namely; (i) one year residential coaching for 12th passed science students for preparation of Engg./Medical entrance exams; and (ii) Residential coaching program for composite preparation of Civil Service Exams have been added.
(v) Rate of stipend amount has been fixed uniformly @ Rs.2500/- per month for local as well as outstation students.
(vi) Rate of coaching fees has also been revised.
The revised guidelines is also available on the website of this Ministry i.e. www.minorityaffairs.gov.in.
(d): The state-wise details of coaching institutions/organizations empaneled under the scheme for 2017-18 to 2019-20 is available on the website of this Ministry i.e. www.minorityaffairs.gov.in.
(e): The state-wise details of the students benefited under Scholarship Schemes (Pre-Matric, Post-Metric, Merit –cum- Means) & Free Coaching and Allied Scheme for last two years and the current year is annexed at annexure-I & II respectively.

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