New Delhi:
Highlighting the government’s efforts in boosting untapped talents, record 131 candidates from the minority communities, including 51 Muslims, have been selected in the civil services examination 2017, Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said on Monday.
"The Modi government's policy of 'development with dignity', without any discrimination, has ensured that this year, for the first time since Independence, a record 131 minority communities' youths including 51 Muslims have been selected in Civil Services," Naqvi told reporters in the capital.
The 'Nai Udaan' and 'Naya Savera' schemes initiated by the Minority Affairs Ministry have been revised and the financial assistance for those qualifying the UPSC prelims has been increased from Rs.50,000 to Rs.1 lakh, Naqvi said.
The ministry has been running free coaching programme for meritorious youths belonging to notified minority communities preparing for UPSC examinations, through various institutions and organisations, the minister said.
The coaching programmes include 'Nai Udaan' and 'Naya Savera' for the minority youths preparing for UPSC examinations, medical, engineering and administrative examinations, he said.
In 2017, 126 youths belonging to minority communities, including 52 Muslims, were selected in the civil services. This year, six Muslims, including three women, figured in top 100, Naqvi said.
“Earlier governments did not put enough effort to create such an environment which would give them confidence," Naqvi said, adding that the present government has given "an atmosphere to protect and promote talent of youths from minority communities".
The government’s efforts have resulted in large number of minority youths being selected in the top civil services, Naqvi added.
