Muslim community in India lags behind SCs, STs in Higher Education, survey finds

The latest All India Survey on Education by the Ministry of Education revealed a significant lag in higher education enrollment among the Muslim community in India.

The survey showed an 8% decline in Muslim enrollment, with economic challenges and the impact of COVID-19 being the main contributing factors.

The decline was particularly high in states like Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, and Tamil Nadu. In contrast, the OBC community showed improvement in enrollment, constituting 36% of total higher education enrollment.

The survey also highlighted the inadequate presence of Muslim teachers in higher education institutions. It emphasized the urgent need for targeted interventions and policies to address the educational disparities faced by the Muslim community and to create an enabling environment for their higher education pursuits.