Social Discrimination and Minority Rights
Social Justice & Development
- PYQs4
- Articles1
Background
Discrimination against minorities undermines constitutional values, social cohesion, and inclusive development, making it a critical area for governance, social justice, and policy intervention.
Social discrimination refers to the unjust or prejudicial treatment of different categories of people, especially on the grounds of religion, leading to marginalization and denial of equal opportunities and rights for minorities, undermining constitutional principles of equality and secularism.
Facts & tables
- Targeting Minorities
- Allegations of using demographic narratives to target and discriminate against religious minorities.
- Misinformation on Fertility
- Propagation of misinformation regarding the fertility rates of specific religious communities.
- Constitutional Safeguards
- Constitutional provisions aim to protect minority rights and ensure equality, countering discrimination.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | Welfare Schemes & Social Policies |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
Prelims angle: Factual recall
- Concerns about 'Othering' and discrimination against Muslims.
- Critique of narratives linking Muslim fertility to 'unnatural demographic change'.
- Importance of evidence-based policy vs. misinformation.
- Constitutional commitment to secularism and minority protection.
- Impact of political rhetoric on social cohesion and minority rights.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Statement-based questions, Purpose or function of a policy tool |
| 2019 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2016 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2013 | Policy measures, Conceptual understanding |
Timeline
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Welfare Schemes & Social Policies
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2013
Policy measures, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2016
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2019
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2025
Statement-based questions, Purpose or function of a policy tool
-
A targeting in the name of demography
The issue of targeting religious minorities under the guise of demographic concerns and immigration control, leading to social, economic, and political discrimination, and its implications for India's secular fabric and constitutional ideals.
See also
No related topics linked yet.
Past papers
2016–2025 · 3 questions
In the news
A targeting in the name of demography
The issue of targeting religious minorities under the guise of demographic concerns and immigration control, leading to social, economic, and political discrimination, and its implications for India's secular fabric and constitutional ideals.
Try these PYQs
With reference to ‘Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana’, consider the following statements:
1. Under this scheme, farmers will have to pay a uniform premium of two per cent for any crop they cultivate in any season of the year.
2. This scheme covers post-harvest losses arising out of cyclones and unseasonal rains.
Which of the statements given about is/are correct?
The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) is a government-sponsored crop insurance scheme. Statement 1 is Incorrect: Under this scheme, farmers have to pay a uniform premium of 2% for all Kharif crops, 1.5% for all Rabi crops, and 5% for commercial/horticultural crops. The premium rate is not uniform for all crops in all seasons. Statement 2 is Correct: The scheme does cover post-harvest losses arising out of cyclones and unseasonal rains. Hence, option B is the correct answer.
Consider the following statements about Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in India :
1. PVTGs reside in 18 States and one Union Territory.
2. A stagnant or declining population is one of the criteria for determining PVTG status.
3. There are 95 PVTGs officially notified in the country so far.
4. Irular and Konda Reddi Tribes are included in the list of PVTGs.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
During the fourth Five-Year Plan, a sub-category was created within Scheduled Tribes, known as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups, to identify groups that are considered to be at a lower level of development. Statement 1 is correct: PVTGs are spread over 18 states and one Union Territory (Andaman & Nicobar Islands) in India. Statement 2 is correct: The criteria for determining PVTG status include a pre-agricultural level of technology, a stagnant or declining population, extremely low literacy, and a subsistence-level of economy. Statement 3 is incorrect: As of now, there are 75 PVTGs officially notified in the country, not 95. Statement 4 is correct: Both Irular and Konda Reddi tribes are included in the list of PVTGs. So, the correct statements are 1, 2, and 4.
Consider the following statements about the Rashtriya Gokul Mission:
I. It is important for the upliftment of rural poor as majority of low producing indigenous animals are with small and marginal farmers and landless labourers.
II. It was initiated to promote indigenous cattle and buffalo rearing and conservation in a scientific and holistic manner.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
✅ Statement I: Correct
*RGM aims to conserve indigenous breeds, benefiting small farmers and landless labourers by improving animal productivity.* ✅ Statement II: Correct
*Launched in December 2014, the mission promotes scientific breeding, genetic upgradation, and conservation of indigenous breeds.* Correct Answer: (C) Both Statements I and II are correct.
To obtain full benefits of demographic dividend, what should India do?
To rip the maximum demographic dividend, India has to promote skill development. This is what the Economic Survey and 12th FYP have been advocating.