The Narendra Modi-led Union government will encourage any minority organisation or individual if they want to start an educational institution said Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi. The cabinet minister who has been a long serving BJP leader said, "The right to education for minority groups is guaranteed by our constitution. Any individual or organisation belonging to a minority community can start an educational institution and this constitutional guarantee will only be strengthened by our government," assured Naqvi. He was speaking at the 9th convocation ceremony of B S Abdur Rahman Crescent Institute of Science and Technology in Chennai.
Speaking to about 1,396 graduants, Naqvi also said that they had increased the number of grants and scholarships to students from minority backgrounds, "Educational empowerment is the commitment of our government. As far as my ministry is concerned, in the last five years, we distributed 3.18 crore scholarships to the minority students. As you know, educational problems among the minorities are huge. We are the only ministry who have given scholarships for classes I to postgraduation. This year, we decided to distribute 5 crore scholarships to minority students."
He went on to add that in 2015, the drop out rate of minority girls was 72 per cent and that these scholarships helped bring the drop out rate down to 42 per cent. "Our goal is to reach 0 per cent," he said.
He recalled how initially only 80-90 districts used to be under the ministry's mandate, but after discussions with PM Modi, they decided that every district, every tehsil and every village of the country be included.
Naqvi also mentioned how the government's 3E programme - Education, Employment and Empowerment. is ensuring employment to the minority members. "Education is necessary for the progress of any country. I want to assure you that our government will lend full support towards minority groups." He added, "There is a huge educational gap between North India and South India. I was discussing with the Chancellor to start an institution in the North as well and our government will give full support. "
On the occasion, Michael Aaron Nii Nortey Oquaye, High Commissioner of Ghana to India was also awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science.
