National Commission for Minorities

The Union Government set up the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) under the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. Six religious communities, viz; Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Zoroastrians (Parsis) and Jains have been notified in Gazette of India as minority communities by the Union Government all over India . Original notification of 1993 was for five religious communities; Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis, Christians and Muslims.

💠UN Declaration ➨ The NCM adheres to the United Nations Declaration of 18 December 1992 which states that "States shall protect the existence of the National or Ethnic, Cultural, Religious and Linguistic identity of minorities within their respective territories and encourage conditions for the promotion of that identity.”

💠Functions:

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➨Evaluate the progress of the development of Minorities under the Union and States.

➨Monitor the working of the safeguards provided in the Constitution and in laws enacted by Parliament and the State Legislatures.

➨Make recommendations for the effective implementation of safeguards for the protection of the interests of Minorities by the Central Government or the State Governments.

➨Look into specific complaints regarding deprivation of rights and safeguards of the Minorities and take up such matters with the appropriate authorities.

➨Cause studies to be undertaken into problems arising out of any discrimination against Minorities and recommend measures for their removal.

➨Conduct studies, research and analysis on the issues relating to socio-economic and educational development of Minorities.

➨Suggest appropriate measures in respect of any Minority to be undertaken by the Central Government or the State Governments.

➨Make periodical or special reports to the Central Government on any matter pertaining to Minorities and in particular the difficulties confronted by them.

➨Any other matter which may be referred to it by the Central Government.

💠Powers:

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➨Summoning and enforcing the attendance of any person from any part of India and examining him on oath.

➨Requiring the discovery and production of any document.

➨Receiving evidence on affidavit.

➨Requisitioning any public record or copy thereof from any court or office.

➨Issuing commissions for the ex

💠Composition of Commission

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➨a Chairperson,

➨a Vice Chairperson and

➨Five Members to be nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons of eminence, ability and integrity; provided that five members including the Chairperson shall be from amongst the minority communities.

💠Rights & Safeguards of Minorities

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Although Indian Constitution does not define word Minority but it has provided constitutional safeguards and fundamental rights to minorities:

🌀Under Fundamental Rights Part III of Indian Constitution

Indian state is committed to administer these rights which can be enforced by judiciary

➨Right of ‘any section of the citizens’ to ‘conserve’ its ‘distinct language, script or culture’; [Article 29(1)]

➨Right of all Religious and Linguistic Minorities to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice;[Article 30(1)]

➨Freedom of Minority-managed educational institutions from discrimination in the matter of receiving aid from the State;[Article30(2)]

🌀Under Part XVII Official Language of Indian Constitution

➨Rights for any section of population for language spoken by them ;[Article 347]

➨Provision for facilities of instruction in mother tongue ; [Article 350A]

➨Provisioning a special officer for linguistic minorities and defining his duties ; [ Article 350B]