Educational Development of Muslim Minority: With Special Reference to Muslim Concentrated States of India

Abstract

In India the National Minority Commission has identified Muslims as minorities along with Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains on the basis of religion. Out of these religious minorities Muslims are the largest ones. In spite of being the largest minority they are lagging behind in education in comparison with other religious minorities. Literacy which is a first step to education is lowest of the Muslim minority and interstate variation in their literacy rates is also very high. Also, their literacy rate in some of the states is abysmally low. In the light of these contexts, this paper presents a brief discussion of policies and programs implemented for the development of education of the Muslim minority. Thereafter, the paper tries to portray the progress of school education in terms of access, participation, retention of Muslim children in the Muslim concentrated states. The paper suggests that strategies for their educational development should be adopted according to the need of the state/district/area. Finally, the areas of intervention and challenges are discussed and appropriate measures are suggested to improve and promote the education of Muslims in India.

A Pilot Study: School Education among Muslims of Jamia Nagar, Okhla, New Delhi

“…Both the NPE and POA emphasized the need of special efforts, "to bring the educationally backward minorities (which include Muslims) on par with the rest of the society and to make them participate fully in the national development activities" (GOI, 1992, p. 9). Other long term and short-term programmes were also started in the form of affirmative actions to improve the educational status of minorities like: Prime Minister's 15-Point Programme for the Welfare of the Minorities (1983), Area Intensive Programme for Educationally Backward Minorities, Modernization of Madrasa, Maulana Azad Education Foundation Scheme (1989), Free Supply of Books and Stationery and Merit Scholarship, and Pre-examination Coaching scheme for the weaker sections (Manju Narula, 2014). Various research studies on education conducted after Independence revealed educational backwardness among Muslims.…”

Factors Affecting Gender Disparity in Muslim Education in India

“…Existing studies (Chanana, 1990;Choudhary, 2003;Dwarakanath, 2002;Husain, 2010;Minault, 1982;Narula, 2014;Nasrin, 2013;Udin, 2012) have however revealed that some of the major causes of educational backwardness of the Muslims in India are concerned with gender-related issues, socio-economic factors and early dropout of children from schools, among others. Narula (2014) argued that gender disparity is one of the reasons for educational backwardness of the Muslim community. Negative attitude and low aspirations of parents towards educating girl children, early marriages and cultural preference of limiting girls' activities to domestic chores inhibit their participation in education.…”

“…As such, articles emperically analysing Muslim’s education in India are limited. Existing studies (Chanana, 1990; Choudhary, 2003; Dwarakanath, 2002; Husain, 2010; Minault, 1982; Narula, 2014; Nasrin, 2013; Udin, 2012) have however revealed that some of the major causes of educational backwardness of the Muslims in India are concerned with gender-related issues, socio-economic factors and early dropout of children from schools, among others.…”

“…Narula (2014) argued that gender disparity is one of the reasons for educational backwardness of the Muslim community. Negative attitude and low aspirations of parents towards educating girl children, early marriages and cultural preference of limiting girls’ activities to domestic chores inhibit their participation in education.…”

“…may be some of the major causes behind low participation of Muslim females in education. Furthermore, several studies (Baruah & Goswami, 2012; Borooah & Iyer, 2005; Duraisamy, 2000; Gouda & Sekher, 2014; Hunt, 2008; Mugisha, 2006; Narula, 2014; Pal, 2004) have shown that socio-economic and household level factors, such as parental education, parental attitude, household income, family size, place of residence, etc., may also play important roles in determining the education participation of children in a family.…”