'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas': Minority Enrolment In Schools Highest In Past 5 Years Under Modi Govt

Published 30 July 2026 · india

'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas': Minority Enrolment In Schools Highest In Past 5 Years Under Modi Govt Reported By, Last Updated: July 30, 2026, 08:27 IST

'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas': Minority Enrolment In Schools Highest In Past 5 Years Under Modi Govt Reported By, Last Updated: July 30, 2026, 08:27 IST According to data, minority students accounted for 21.8 per cent of enrolment at the primary level in 2025-26, up from 18.8 per cent in 2021-22 Rapid Read Union Minister Kiren Rijiju. (PTI/File Image) At a time when the Opposition has stepped up its outreach to minority communities and repeatedly accused the Narendra Modi government of marginalising them, the Centre has cited official education data to argue that minority participation in the education system has steadily improved during its tenure and stands at its best levels currently. Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has told Parliament that the share of minority students in school enrolment has reached its highest level in the last five academic years across all stages of school education, suggesting greater participation by minority communities despite an overall decline in student enrolment nationally.

This includes six notified minority communities – Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi and Jain. According to data, minority students accounted for 21.8 per cent of enrolment at the primary level in 2025-26, up from 18.8 per cent in 2021-22. At the upper primary level, the share increased from 17.8 per cent to 19.6 per cent. Secondary school enrolment of minorities rose from 16.4 per cent to 18.7 per cent, while the higher secondary share climbed from 15.1 per cent to 17.1 per cent over the same period. These are the highest proportions recorded during the five-year period covered by the data. The figures are likely to provide fresh impetus to the BJP, which has consistently maintained that its welfare programmes are aimed at all beneficiaries irrespective of religion under the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas." The government has repeatedly argued that development indicators, rather than political rhetoric, should be the benchmark for assessing its outreach to minority communities.

The parliamentary reply says the Ministry of Minority Affairs has implemented scholarship schemes for the six notified minority communities for their socio-economic and educational empowerment. The trend extends to higher education as well. Data shows Muslim student enrolment increased from 21.08 lakh in 2021-22 to 22.53 lakh in 2023-24. Enrolment from other notified minority communities – Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Parsis and Jains taken together – also rose from 9.05 lakh to 10.80 lakh during the same period. The government, however, clarified that it does not maintain community-wise dropout data. The reply further states that school enrolment data is maintained only as a combined category covering the six notified minority communities and not religion-wise. Religion-wise higher education data is available only for Muslims and a combined category of other minority communities. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit About the Author Aman Sharma Aman Sharma, Executive Editor - Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Minister...