In India, if a religious sect/ community is given the status of a national minority, what special advantages it is entitled to? 1. It can establish and administer exclusive educational Institutions. 2. The President of India automatically nominates a representative of the community to Lok Sabha. 3. It can derive from the Prime Minister’s 15- points programee. Which of the statements given above is/ correct?

In India, religious and linguistic minorities enjoy specific constitutional and policy-based advantages. Under Article 30(1) of the Constitution, all minorities have the fundamental right to establish and administer educational institutions of their choice [3]. This includes the power to manage their own affairs and select staff, subject to reasonable state regulations. Additionally, communities notified as national minorities are the primary beneficiaries of the Prime Minister’s New 15-Point Programme, which aims to enhance educational opportunities and ensure an equitable share in economic activities for these groups [4]. However, there is no constitutional provision for the President to automatically nominate a representative of a religious minority to the Lok Sabha. The previous provision for nominating Anglo-Indians under Article 331 was specific to that community and has since been discontinued; it never applied to all religious minorities generally.

Sources

1. [1] Introduction to the Constitution of India, D. D. Basu (26th ed.). > Chapter 32: MINORITIES, SCHEDULED CASTES AND SCHEDULED TRIBES > MINORITIES, SCHEDULED CASTES AND SCHEDULED TRIBES CHAP. 321 > p. 456
2. [2] Democratic Politics-I. Political Science-Class IX . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 5: DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS > Cultural and Educational Rights > p. 85
3. [3] https://dmc.delhi.gov.in/sites/default/files/dmc/generic_multiple_files/3_1.pdf
4. [4] https://www.minorityaffairs.gov.in/showfile.php?lang=1&level=1&ls_id=132&lid=126