‘Muslims need quota more’

NEW DELHI: The Sachar Committee report, which explored the socio-economic and educational condition of Indian Muslims, had chilling figures to display prompting one of its members to voice the need for having quotas for the community.

Abusaleh Shariff, one of the members of the committee, in a recent note to the Knowledge Commission, stated: “If at all there is a case, for the extension of quota-reservations or other forms of affirmative action policies, the Muslims are the most deserving of all the SRCs considered.”

The Indian Muslims have the worst educational indices even in comparison to the OBCs, and as per the committee report, education levels among the 20-30 year olds is pathetically low. When compared to the other disadvantaged communities, the report draws out the stark realities with chilling figures. It says only five per cent of Muslims are graduates who are least likely to reach the post-Graduate levels. Worse, a graduate or post-graduate Muslim would find it most difficult to find a job, when compared to his peers in other communities.

It has been pointed out that Muslims are also at a disadvantage while going for a post graduation (PG) degree. While most graduates take up jobs or are searching for one, the progression to PG level is highest amongst the Hindu general category, followed by the Hindu OBCs. Those seeking PG studies are also considerably large amongst the SCs/ STs (28 per cent), mainly due to quota policies extended to them. However, Muslims are the least likely to reach out for the PG studies and they have relatively high unemployment rates too. There are only 16 per cent among Muslims pursuing post-Graduate courses. The report also says that 29 per cent of the 20-30 year olds among the poor category belong to the Muslim community while 34 per cent belong to the SC/ST. The poor in this group are the least among the Hindu general category followed by the OBCs.

The Committee has found that SC/STs and Muslims are among the most disadvantaged groups when it comes to higher education. Overall just about only eight per cent of all 20-30 years old amongst the non-poor secure graduate degrees, this percentage comes down to a shocking low of 1.8 per cent amongst the poor. It is obvious that numbers of graduates is highest among non-poor Hindus (almost 50 per cent), and almost 35 per cent among poor, clearly two to three times over, respectively, than their share in the population of 20-30.

Interestingly, the Hindu OBCs are also well-represented in higher levels of education even in the absence of quota-reservations. An important fact to note is that the relative share of OBCs as graduates is closer to their respective share in population amongst the poor and only 7 per cent amongst the non-poor. Which means that SCs/STs and the Muslims have their presence as graduates far less, in fact, closer to about one half of their respective shares, in the 20-30 year olds. These figures state a considerable inequity in access and achievement to higher level of education placing the SC/ST and Muslims at a gross disadvantage.

The final break up goes thus: Among the non-poor, while the SCs/STs have the least four per cent graduates, it is at least five per cent amongst Muslims. Amongst poor, OBCs have 1.7 per cent, Muslims 1.8 per cent and SC/STs only 0.8 per cent graduates.

It has been pointed out that Muslims are also at a disadvantage while going for a post graduation (PG) degree. While most of the graduates take up jobs or are searching for one, the progression to PG level is highest amongst the Hindu General category, followed by the Hindu OBCs.

Those seeking PG studies are also considerably large amongst the SCs/ STs (28 per cent), mainly due to quota policies extended to them. However, Muslims are the least likely to reach out for the PG studies and they have  relatively high unemployment rates too. There are only 16 per cent among Muslims pursuing post-Graduate courses.