By Jasmine Nehar
In an era where the BJP government is making efforts to strip Aligarh Muslim University of its minority status, the latest all-India survey on higher education sheds light on the concerning reality that Muslim students are significantly trailing behind their counterparts in scheduled caste (SC), scheduled tribe (ST), and other backward castes (OBC) in terms of higher education participation.
This nationwide survey reveals a notable upswing in the enrollment of students from marginalized communities, including SC, ST, and OBC. However, a more detailed analysis of the data brings to the forefront the discernible lag in higher education enrollment among Muslim students, who experience a relatively modest increase compared to their peers.
Over the past five years (between the academic years 2017-18 and 2021-22), the overall growth in the number of students enrolled in higher education institutes was reported at 18.1%. Notably, the enrollment for the SC category surpassed the national average, exhibiting a higher growth rate of 25.43%. The enrollment of ST students saw an impressive growth of 41.6%, and OBC student enrollment rose by 27.3% during the same period.
Despite these positive trends, the enrollment data for the Muslim community indicates a more moderate increase. In the academic year 2021-22, Muslim student enrollment was reported at 21.1 lakh, reflecting a rise of only 14.7% over the five-year period, from 18.4 lakh in 2017-18 to 19.22 lakh in 2020-21. This suggests that Muslim students are not experiencing the same level of progress in higher education enrollment as their counterparts from SC, ST, and OBC backgrounds.
The enrollment figures for female Muslim students also demonstrate a more restrained growth compared to female students from other communities. In 2021-22, the enrollment of female Muslim students was 10.4 lakh, up from 8.98 lakh in 2017-18. While this represents an increase, the growth rate of 14.7% raises questions about the factors influencing the educational participation of Muslim women.
The disparity in enrollment growth among different communities underscores the need for targeted efforts to address the challenges faced by Muslim students in accessing higher education. Identifying and addressing these challenges can contribute to a more inclusive and equitable higher education landscape, ensuring that students from all communities have equal opportunities to pursue and benefit from higher education.
This situation underscores the challenges faced by Muslim students in accessing higher education and prompts a critical examination of the factors contributing to this disparity. At a time when discussions around the minority status of educational institutions are taking center stage, it becomes imperative to address these discrepancies and work towards fostering an inclusive higher education environment for Muslim students.