EAC-PM Paper Highlights Decline in Hindu Population Share

According to a recent working paper by the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM), the share of the Hindu population in India decreased by 7.82% between 1950 and 2015, while that of Muslims increased by 43.15%. Titled ‘Share of Religious Minorities: A Cross-Country Analysis (1950-2015)’, the paper indicates a global trend of declining majority and increasing diversity.

The share of Christians rose by 5.38%, while Sikhs witnessed a 6.58% increase in their share. Conversely, the share of the Parsi population witnessed an 85% decline. The paper suggests that India has provided a conducive environment to foster diversity, evident in the decreasing share of the majority population and the increasing share of minorities. The year 1950 was considered as a baseline year due to the emergence of international human rights frameworks, and the paper provides a detailed cross-country analysis of minority populations over 65 years.