NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR MINORITIES (NCM)

Recent Plea: 

• The lawyer, in his plea, said, the term minority needed to be redefined and reconsidered in the context of population of a community in a state, instead of nationwide population data. 
  
  
• Arguments sighted in petition: 
  • Hindus, who are a majority community as per national data, are a minority in several north-eastern states and in Jammu and Kashmir. 
    
    
  • Hindu community is deprived of benefits which are available to the minority communities in these states, hence NCM should reconsider the definition of minority. 
    
    
  
  
  

National Commission for Minorities: 

• Background: 
  • In 1978, Government of India, vide an executive order, set up a "Minorities Commission" to safeguard the interests of minorities. 
    
    
  • With the enactment of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992, the Minorities Commission became a statutory body and was renamed as the "National Commission for Minorities". 
    
    
  
  
  
• Functions: 
  • To evaluate the progress of the developmental programs and legal & constitutional safeguards for the welfare of minorities. 
    
    
  • To Look into specific complaints regarding deprivation of the rights of minorities. 
    
    
  • To undertake studies/research on the issues relating to socio economic development of minorities. 
    
    
  
  
  
• Composition: It consists of a Chairperson, a Vice Chairperson and five Members to be nominated by the Central Government from amongst persons of eminence, ability and integrity.