Previous Year Question
Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): Article 30 of the Constitution of India does not define the term ‘minorities’.
Reason (R): The Constitution recognises only linguistic and religious minorities.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below:
Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
(A) is true, but (R) is false.
(A) is false, but (R) is true.
Correct Answer: B
Detailed Solution
Assertion (A) is correct. Article 30 grants minorities the right to establish and administer educational institutions, but it does not itself provide an independent definition or numerical criterion for the term “minority.” Therefore, Article 30 does not define the term ‘minorities’.
Reason (R) is also correct in the context of this question. Article 30(1) expressly refers to minorities “whether based on religion or language.” Thus, the constitutional basis of minority educational rights under Article 30 is a religious or linguistic minority.
However, the Reason does not explain why the Constitution leaves the term “minority” undefined. Article 30 identifies religion and language as the relevant bases but does not prescribe a fixed percentage or a separate definitional clause. Thus, both statements are independently true, but R does not explain A.
A useful distinction is that Article 29(1) protects the right of any section of citizens having a distinct language, script or culture to conserve it, whereas Article 30 specifically concerns educational institutions of religious and linguistic minorities.