National Commission for Minorities



National Commission for Minorities was, for the first time, conceived in the resolution presented by the Ministry of Home Affairs, on the 12th of January, 1978. One of the major reasons for setting up the National Commission for Minorities in India is that the Ministry of Home Affairs sensed a feeling of insecurity and inequality among those belonging to the minority community. Due to this reason, the Indian government implemented all kinds of safeguarding measures for the Minorities in the Constitution. Central as well as State Laws were established, along with many administrative schemes and government policies.

The National Commission for Minorities, India came into being following the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992. The Commission was constituted in the year 1993, on the 23rd of October, for the first time. The 5 religious communities that were termed as the minority community in India included the Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Zoroastrians or the Parsis and the Sikhs. According to the 2001 Census, the religious minority communities comprise 18.42% of the total population of the Indian sub-continent.

All the functions of the National Commission for Minorities of India are enlisted in the Section 9(1). These functions are:

  • Evaluating the progress in the sphere of the development of the minority community present in the States and the Union
  • Probing into particular complaints related to the loss of rights of the minorities and the safeguard of the same, along with the discussion of such issues with the apt authorities
  • Recommending efficient measures to the State Governments and the Central Government to protect the rights of the minorities
  • Monitoring the action of the safeguards taken for the minorities that are stated in the Indian Constitution as well as in the laws ordained by the State Legislatures and the Parliament
  • Any matter related to the safeguards of the minorities to be dealt by the Central Government
  • Promoting studies regarding the problems that arise out of distinguishing the minorities and to recommend measures for the removal of such causes
  • Periodical reports to be presented to the Central Government regarding issues concerning the minorities, specifically the problems faced by them
  • Suggestion of suitable measures with regard to any minority that are to be undertaken by the State Governments and the Central Government
  • Carrying on research, studies and analysis over the events related to the educational and the socio-economic development of the minorities


The address of the main office of the National Commission for Minorities is as follows:

National Commission for Minorities,
5th Floor,
Lok Nayak Bhavan,
Khan Market,
New Delhi 110 003
Tel. 24618349
Fax 24693302, 24642645, 24698410




Last Updated on 28 September 2012