NEW DELHI: Over 3 crore people belonging to minority communities were provided with various scholarships during the last five years, Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told the Rajya Sabha on Monday.

In reply to an unstarred question, Naqvi saidÂ that during the last five years, pre-matric, post-matric, merit-cum-means scholarships have been provided to 2,40,72,287 Muslim students which is 13.98 per cent of the community's total population.

Scholarships have been provided to 36,84,636 Christian students which is 13.24 per cent of the community's total population, he said.

Naqvi said that during the last five years, various scholarships have been provided to 3,14,39,466 students belonging to minority communities.

Scholarships have been provided to 25,17,167 Sikh students which is 12.08 per cent of the community's total population, Naqvi said.

Scholarships have been provided to 78,2139 Buddhist students which is 9.26 per cent of the community's total population, he said.

He said scholarships have been provided to 3,79,444 Jain students which is 8.52 per cent of the community's total population, he said.Â

Scholarships have been provided to 3,793 Parsi students which is 6.62 per cent of the community's total population, Naqvi said.

The minister said the population of the Muslim community in the country is 17,22,45158, the population of Christian community is 2,78,19,588; Sikhs 2,08,33,116, Buddhists 84,42,972, Jains 44,51,753 and Parsi community is 57,264.

