Many states still lagging behind in enrolling Muslim children
By TCN News,
A total of 14.83 million Muslim children were studying in Primary classes in academic session in 2008-09 or 11.03% of the total enrolment. In Upper Primary classes Muslims are 4.87 million which is 9.13% of the total. A slight improvement from the previous year, according to the data released under DISE Flash Statistics-2008-09.
District Information System for Education (DISE) is a comprehensive report of 1.29 million recognized schools from 633 districts of India. This report is published every year by National University of Educational Planning and Administration(NEUPA).
Muslim enrolment has slightly improved from the previous two years.
Enorlment (% Muslim population)
Year – 06-07 – 07-08 – 08-09
Elementary- NA – 9.95 – 10.49
Primary- 9.39 – 10.49 – 11.03
Upper Primary- 7.52 – 8.54 – 9.13
Of the total Muslim enrolment in Primary classes, the percentage of Muslim girls is 48.93 (last year 48.67%) which is slightly higher than national average for girls at 48.38%. In Upper Primary 50.03% (last year 49.49%) of Muslim children are girls which is much higher than the national average of 47.58%. In Elementary classes Muslims girls are 49.20% (last year 48.84%) of the total Muslim enrolment.
There are about 87,690 schools which has got more than 25 percent Muslim enrolment (to total enrolment in elementary classes) which is 6.84 percent of the total schools that impart elementary education in the country. Similarly, 62,534 (4.88 percent) schools have above 50 percent Muslim enrolment as compared to 48,946 schools (3.82 percent) having 75 percent and above and 41,300 schools (3.22 percent) even having a share of 90 and above Muslim enrolment to total enrolment.
Because of the high percent share of Muslim population to total population in the state, 12 districts of Jammu and Kashmir have got above 90 percent Muslim enrolment in 2008-09 in Primary classes which is also true for enrolment in Upper Primary classes. On the other hand, 25 districts in the country have more than 50 percent Muslim enrolment in Primary classes in 2008-09 compared to 20 such districts in case of Upper Primary enrolment. 15 districts of Jammu and Kashmir, 1 district each from Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Lakshadweep and Kerala and 5 districts of Assam have more than 50 percent Muslim enrolment in Primary classes.
There is sudden drop of enrolment between Primary and Upper Primary level – Assam, Kerala, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal.
States of particular concern are Arunachal Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Punjab, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh where Muslim enrollment is much lower than their share in the population.