By TwoCircles.net staff reporter
New Delhi: In 2006 the percentage enrolment of Muslim children in the 6-14 years age group was 9.39% at primary level and 7.62% at upper primary level, the government told Lok Sabha.
In a written reply to the house, Minister of state for Human Resource Development, Md. Ali Ashraf Fatmi said the data was collected by the National University of Education Planning and Administration’s (NUPEA) District Information System for Education (DISE). Giving state-wise detail, the minister said the percentage enrolment at two levels respectively was 9-24% and 7-18% in Uttar Pradesh, 8-89% and 6-50% in Bihar, 27-9% and 19-63% in West Bengal and 10.13% and 9-59% in Kerala.
The survey of number of those Muslim students who come under DISE system of basic education was first compiled in September 2006. The minister said the Sachar Committee did not conduct survey of enrolment according to population but on the basis of census conducted by National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO), committee has find out that the percentage of enrolment of Muslim students in some states like Kerala, Karnataka, Delhi, Maharashtra and some others is greater than state’s average. According to the committee the percentage of enrolment of Muslim students is less than state’s average in Bihar, UP, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand.
Funds are being allocated in 88 districts having Muslim population under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, In addition to this, 270 schools of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya have been approved for those regions having required population of Muslims and are most inferior in education, Fatmi told the Lok Sabha.