The Modi government once championed the slogan ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ with great emphasis, promising to fulfill the needs of the minority communities and bring them on par with the national mainstream through its budgets. However, this slogan seems to become increasingly hollow.
The Union budget presented earlier this month stands as evidence of this.
The current budget shows that this government, driven by Hindutva ideology, is uninterested in ensuring the education and development of minority youth in the country, especially for the approximately 200 million Muslims. Moreover, the ideology upheld by this government has long depicted Muslims, Christians and communists as internal enemies of the nation.
Also read: What Does BJP’s Outreach to Minority Communities Mean for the Opposition?
Attack on educational schemes for minorities
The first educational scheme to face the cut in budget 2025-26 is the pre-matric scholarship for minorities – a crucial program that allows children from minority communities to go to school.
In 2023-24, the budget for this scheme was set at Rs 433 crore. In 2024-25, it was reduced to Rs 326.16 crore, and now, for 2025-26, the allocation has significantly dropped to just Rs 195.70 crore. In terms of actual spending, only Rs 95.83 crore was utilised in 2023-24 and in 2024-25, only Rs 90 crore was released despite Rs 326.16 crore being allocated.
The expenditure figures for this year may be even more concerning, given the drop in allocation. Honestly, it seems the government is determined to make it more difficult for children from minority communities to access education.
The same pattern is also unfolding with the post-matric scholarship for minorities, the budget for which in 2025-26 has been slashed to Rs 413.99 crore, nearly 65% less than the previous year.
The same is seen in the case of merit-cum-means scholarship for professional and technical courses (undergraduate and postgraduate). Last year, Rs 33.80 crore was allocated, but this year, only Rs 7.34 crore has been set aside.
The budget for the interest subsidy on educational loans for overseas studies has been reduced to Rs 8.16 crore, down from Rs 15.30 crore last year.
Further, the government’s hostility towards madrassas is clearly reflected in the budgets of recent years.
Also read: Does This Country Hate Muslims?
In 2023-24, funding for education schemes for madrassas and minorities was slashed by 93%, dropping to just Rs 10 crore. In 2024-25, it was further reduced to a mere Rs 2 crore. This year, the allocation for the scheme has been cut to just Rs 0.01 crore.
The government scholarship was a crucial support for students from minority communities to pursue education as it helped Dalit, Adivasi, other backward-class students, and minority students overcome the economic challenges.
However, the Modi government seems to be undermining this support.
Cumulatively, in 2024-25, the government allocated Rs 1,575.72 crore for six schemes related to minority education but only Rs 517.20 crore was actually released. The expenditure figures, yet to be revealed, could be even more alarming.
For example, in 2023-24, a budget of Rs 1,689 crore was announced, with Rs 1,500 crore released, but only Rs 428.74 crore was actually spent. This year, the government has allocated just Rs 678.03 crore for these schemes.
How much will be released and how much will be spent remains to be seen, and it will ultimately depend on the government’s actions.
It is also important to note that during his tenure as chief minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi’s administration challenged the constitutionality of scholarships for Muslim students. For many years, this led to the denial of central government scholarships to students from minority communities in Gujarat.
Budget for Waqf schemes reduced
The Waqf bill has been in parliament discussions lately. The Modi government is set to present an amendment bill concerning the Waqf system for Muslims, claiming that its aim is to improve the Waqf structure.
However, the budget for schemes related to Waqf has been further reduced in this year’s budget.
One such scheme is the Qaumi Waqf Board Taraqqiati scheme, which focuses on computerising or digitising the records of Waqf properties managed by the Waqf board. Another scheme is the Shahri Waqf Sampatti Vikas Yojana, which provides interest-free loans to Waqf institutions and Waqf Boards to promote the commercial development of Waqf properties.
These loans are aimed at constructing financially beneficial buildings like business complexes, marriage halls, hospitals, cold storage units etc. on vacant Waqf land in urban areas.
Initially, these two schemes had separate funds but in 2020-21, the central government reduced the budget and merged the funding for both.
Also read: Why Muslims Fear Communal Backlash as JPC Clears Waqf Amendments
In 2023-24, Rs 17 crore was allocated for these two schemes, but only Rs 8 crore was released, and the actual expenditure was Rs 0.10 crore. For the year 2024-25, a budget of Rs 16 crore was announced, but only Rs 3.07 crore was released.
This year, the budget for both schemes has been further reduced to Rs 13 crore.
Key schemes halted
The Modi government has also permanently discontinued several important schemes.
Initiatives such as skill development programs, Nai Manzil (the integrated educational and livelihood initiative), USTTAD (upgrading skills and training in traditional arts/crafts for development), the scheme for leadership development of minority women, and Hamari Dharohar (for the conservation and protection of minority cultures and heritage) have all been completely stopped.
In addition, vital programs like support for students clearing prelims for UPSC, SSC, and state public service commissions have also been halted.
The budget for the Maulana Azad Education Foundation (MAEF) and the Equity Contribution to the National Minorities Development and Finance Corporation (NMDFC) was reduced to zero last year. The same pattern has been repeated this year as well.
Budget Announcement: The Real Story is Different
The 2025-26 budget does show a slight increase compared to the previous year. The current budget stands at Rs 3,350 crore, which is Rs 166 crore more than the Rs 3,183.24 crore allocated last year. But a closer look at the details reveals that schemes specifically targeting minorities have faced significant cuts.
It’s also important to note that the government often revises its announced budget at the time of release. For instance, in 2024-25, the government initially announced a budget of Rs 3,183.24 crore for the Ministry of Minority Affairs, but after a review, it was reduced to Rs 1,868.18 crore. It remains to be seen how much further the current 2025-26 allocation of Rs 3,350 crore will be cut once the final budget is released.
The continued cuts across all schemes under the Ministry of Minority Affairs suggest that the government may be moving toward dismantling the ministry itself. Established in 2006 in response to a government report highlighting that Muslims had the lowest levels of education and economic attainment among any population group in India, the ministry was meant to address these disparities.
However, the ongoing reduction in funding for programs designed to support minority communities raises serious concerns about the government’s commitment to their welfare. If these cuts continue, it could signal a broader effort to undermine the very initiatives that were put in place to uplift historically marginalised groups.
Afroz Alam Sahil is a freelance journalist and author. He can be contacted at @afrozsahil on X.