New Delhi: The Narendra Modi-led BJP government has substantially increased budget allocation for minority community candidates appearing in the UPSC exam even as it made marginal cuts on educational grant for minorities.
The budget for providing free and subsidised coaching for minority candidates has been increased from Rs 8 crore last year to Rs 20 crore this year under the ‘Support for students clearing prelims conducted by UPSC, SSC, State Public Service Commissions etc’ scheme.
At the same time, however, less money has been allocated for pre-matric and post-matric scholarships for minorities.
The government had earlier said that its focus is to help improve the condition of the Muslim community through education. When the government announced abolition of the Haj subsidy last year, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi had said it would use these funds to educate the Muslim community — a step he claimed was evident of “Modi government’s efforts to empower minorities with dignity and without appeasement”.
Funds allocated for educational empowerment of the community has been reduced to Rs 2,362 crore from Rs 2,451 crore last year. The grants for pre-matric and post-matric scholarships has been reduced from Rs 1,296 crore last year to Rs 1,220 crore this year, and from Rs 500 crore to Rs 496 crore this year, respectively.
Explaining this cut, a ministry official said that these reductions are only marginal and there has been an increase in other schemes meant for the betterment of minorities.
“These schemes have been operational for some time and do not need more money. We are instead focusing on persuading more Muslims to prepare for the UPSC,” the official said.
The total budget allocated to the minority affairs ministry has gone up from Rs 4,534 crore in 2018-19 to Rs 4,599 crore this year.
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Focus on UPSC
Objective of the UPSC scheme is to have more representation of Muslims in the civil services that has traditionally seen lower presence from the community. The scheme aims to give direct financial support to candidates clearing the Preliminary Examination of Group A and B of the UPSC, State Public Service Commissions (SPSCs) and Staff Selection Commission (SSC).
While under-representation of Muslims in the civil services has always been an issue, the Modi government has maintained that it has reversed the trend of their declining numbers in the past five years.
Buoyed by an increase in the number of Muslim candidates cracking the UPSC exam, Naqvi had last year announced that the government will start free coaching for students in Haj bhavans across states and union territories.
For the first time in history, over 50 Muslim candidates had cleared the UPSC exam in 2017, and then again in 2018. In 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, their numbers were 30, 34, 38 and 36 respectively. While this year, the number of Muslim candidates who have cleared the exam has fallen to 28, it can also be attributed to reduction in the total number of candidates recruited — from 980 last year to 782.
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Plz go through ‘Sachchar Committee’ reports first and then comment about ‘bread and butter’…
This is not fair. Hindu girls are also a citizen of India and they have right to grow themselves. Government never provide any coaching institution for civil services to the Hindu girls ( brahmin girls). They are also poor if government will not focus on Hindu, Hindu girls will come in minorities in future.
In my opinion hon’ble prime minister sir..se have already reservations for the minorities and if we have now focus on muslim community too..then who leaves for equality and justice and self determination ….only Hindus…no sir…please don’t separately see a community for this..we too have the right to be seen at your priority….I saw many of the Hindus also striving for better resources to become civil servants…it includes Me too….
Let examinations get clear by students ability ..not by their community ..thankyou…
Nothing special, cow is fed with its own milk..!
Providing free upsc coaching to minorities shows government’s discriminatory attitude towards others socially and financially weak communities’ people. Many people who belong to minority can easily afford it , at the same time there are many such people who are not under minority but can’t afford that and are also lagging behind in social status or might have been facing problems even more than the real minorities or So-called minorities. I’m not against this government’s decision but in my opinion, these type of facilities must be provided without any discrimination to all those who need it and not just for minority or a particular group.
In this way,women who is belonging to the economically weaker section is also very less selected every year.Why government not make separate budget for empowering that category of women who have also some ambition and goals in their life.
How we appreciate this government if they are also doing the same caste discrimination which the previous government did.In every thing why caste and religion is always be the basis for any policy.
l request the government to do something for the empowering the women of the nation.
Work on the main stream. Don’t start another colonial era or divide and rule
India is a secular country if it would be right consept so why it is not for all communuty and why only for muslim. our country under many religion of people have lives here like christian, jain, sikh, hindu and other religion but why only for muslim.
There should not be made any dissemination on the name of religion and caste. This government again dividing people, all IAS aspirants should get free coaching without any discrimination.
Economical Poverty don’t discriminate, so why we are discriminating.
Hajj is mandatory for every men and women in Islam, but Indian people are deprived of the need for big money for it. but if the government had made a bigger benefit to every person but it would have been better
How is this an increase ? Taking into account inflation which is around 3% per annum this is actually a reduction in the allocation of funds for minorities.
INSTEAD OF USING MINORITIES AS A VOTE BANK THE GOVERNMENT IS IMPLEMENTING ITS POLICY OF INCLUSION OF ECONOMIC EMANCIPATION OF MINORITIES. THE OPPOSITION SHOULD SEE WHY THEY HAVE VOTED FOR THIS GOVERNMENT.
SABKA SATH ,SABKA VIKAS,SABKA VISHVAS.THERE IS NOHING WRONG WITH THE EVMS AND ELECTION COMMISSION IS CONDUCING ELECTIONS IN A FREE AND FAIR MANNER TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE IN THE PRESENT SOCIOECONOMICAND POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT PREVAILING IN THE COUNTRY.
It’s not seriously fair that we should search for more upsc aspirants knocking door to door, be it from a minority community. India is a vast country that already has so many aspirants for upsc with regard to the no. of seats available. If there is an equal competition 4 all, then why not equal opportunities..!! I respect Mr. Modi, but uncle, if muslims would be willing enough to get an IAS service, they will do it on their own, just like many underprivileged Hindu aspirants with stuggle and patience. That’s it.!
It’s not seriously fair that we should search for more upsc aspirants, be it a minority community. India is a vast country that already has so many aspirants for upsc with regard to the no. of seats available. If there is an equal competition 4 all, then why not equal opportunities..!! I respect Mr. Modi, but uncle, if muslims would be willing enough to get an IAS service, they will do it on their own, just like many underprivileged Hindu aspirants with stuggle and patience. That’s it.!
But the government doesn’t give a shit to the tribal communities. No one seems to bother about us. As an IAS aspirant I felt demotivated as not a single person cleared UPSC in this year.
not good gov. should support every one without discriminatoin .
Worst idea why every benefit is given to the minorities even majorities are also be there why Law does not treat both of them equally…Majorities are not living a luxurious life today…then why govt. Think that only minorities want’s support of govt. And majorities have enough wealth to invest on everywhere…why govt. Want development for minorities only. majorities are also a human being then they have to treat both of them equally otherwise I don’t support any party as well as govt.
Step taken by goverment is appreciable, but it show the discrimination between religion ..
In india particularly , political party always play game among the religion , caste etc.
I strongly recommend that only the deserving candidate has selected for the administrative service.
In Indian constitution, it is clearly written that all the people are equal , then why this type of discrimination happen.
In India, it’s n open secret that ‘ minorities ‘ means “muslims ” ! Rest of elegibal communities don’t deserve any assistance ! That’s d main reason these ppl have taken all the things 4 granted as their father’s property n we d rest of the people have no say over them/it ? Who’s going to support d desiring person to achieve her/his aim/goal ? That’s y d other people feel as alien/ dejected in their own land ! This can happen only in India !
Woh sab to thik hain,
Lekin aap batayein mob-lynching and forcefully Ram ke nam chanting ke bare mein aap ka rai kya hain….??
If government want to increase percipient of Muslims in upsc then govt should provide quota to Muslims as well as free coaching in upsc.
What about for those who are poor general candidate.
They have been continuously left in lurch to struggle for bread and butter.
This is totally a political gimmick to gain sympathy of the minorities as well.
Government has treated them physically , socially ,economically weak and many more.
You talk about butter.. there are many aspirants who hardly see a bread.
That’s totally correct.
Caste systems should be replaced by income.
Concession should be given to poor on the basis of income and not through caste discrimination.
Next five years would be worth watching if Modi can break the cell in which the left secular brigade had kept the Muslims imprisoned for several decades now. It may be the longest captivity of recent time that has been created through manufactured fears for political gains. It’s going to be a fierce fight between the government and the secularists whose hatred for Modi/RSS/BJP and Hindus is boundless. Time will tell if Muslims can break the fake fear cell they had confined themselves into and feel the fresh air of main stream life and be a proud children of mother India .
Idea is ok but i am sharing a common opinion that, candidates who is capable for it should only be selected. According to my view in exams like this there should not be any discrimination among caste and no privilege should be given to no one in the form of age relaxation and through grade concession.Every indian citizen is equal in the eyes of law so why discrimination in caste in all exams in india.
Praiseworthy.
Good idea