Lok Sabha Question No. 108 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-12-04
Subject: Muslim Community lagging behind in HEIs
Ministry: Education
Asked by: P.R. Natarajan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO-108 ANSWERED ON-04/12/2023

## MUSLIM COMMUNITY LAGGING BEHIND IN HEIs

108. SHRI NATARAJAN P.R.:

Will the Minister of EDUCATION be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  All  India  Survey  on  Education  conducted  by  the  Ministry  reveals  that  the Muslim community is lagging  behind  all  communities  in  the  Higher  Education  painting  a dismal picture of the community;
- (b) if so, the details of All India Survey on Education 2020-21 State-wise/year wise/community- wise; and
- (c) the proposal of the Government to increase the admission from the communities which are lagging behind?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

(DR. SUBHAS SARKAR)

(a) &(b) As per the All India Survey on Higher Education (AISHE), enrolment of students of Muslim community in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) has increased to 21.08 Lakh in 2021-22(Provisional) from 19.22 Lakh in 2020-21, and 15.34 Lakh in 2014-15. So increase in  the  enrolment  of  students  of  Muslim  community  is  around  37.5%,  whereas  the  overall Student enrolment in Higher Education has increased by 26.5% since 2014-15.  Hence, the growth in enrolment of Muslim Students is higher the overall student growth.  The details of Enrolment of students of Muslim Minority and total Students, State-wise, as per AISHE, is available at https://www.education.gov.in/parl\_ques .

- (c)  The  various  initiatives  of  the  Government  in  encouraging  students  from  the  Minority community as well as students from SC/ST/OBC communities has resulted in higher growth in enrolment of these communities over the years. Some of these initiatives are as under :-

I  Ministry  of  Minority  Affairs  implements  the  Post  Metric  and  Merit-cum-Means  based Scholarship  Schemes  for  educational  empowerment  of  students  belonging  to  6  notified Minority  communities,  namely,  Buddhist,  Christian,  Jain,  Muslim,  Sikh  and  Zoroastrian (Parsi).  These are implemented with the objective to uplift the socio-economic conditions of the minority communities, increase their rate of attainment in higher education and enhance their employability and to enable the poor and meritorious students pursue professional and technical courses.

- II.  The Department of Higher Education is implementing the 'Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Protsahan [PM-USP] Yojana', with three component schemes namely :-
- Central Sector Scheme of Scholarship for College and University Students;
- Special Scholarship Scheme for Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh aimed specifically at youth  of  Jammu  &  Kashmir  and  Ladakh  to  take  advantage  of  the  educational institutions  outside  these  UTs  and  interact  with  their  counterparts  from  rest  of country];
- Central Sector Interest Subsidy Scheme.

All categories of students in  the  country  including  students  from  Muslim Community  are  eligible  to  get  financial  assistance  as  per  the  schematic  norms. [The details of these schemes are available in the Ministry's website: https://www.education.gov.in/en/pm-usp-scholarships-education-loan].

- III.  Besides, various fellowships and scholarships are being implemented University Grants Commission, All India  Council for Technical  Education,  Ministry  of  Social  Justice  & Empowerment and Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

IV. Examinations like Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), National Eligibility cum Entrance Test ( NEET)  etc.  are  conducted  in  13  Indian  languages,  to  facilitate  the  students  of SC/ST/OBC/rural/vernacular background.

- V.  Education  and  Skill  Textbooks  in  Indian  languages  are  being  brought  out.  All  India Council  of  Higher  Education  (AICTE)  has  released  entire  course  books  for  1 st Year  of Engineering and Polytechnic subjects in Indian Languages. These would facilitate students, particularly from vernacular background and marginalised communities in pursuing Higher Studies.
- VI. The University Grants Commission is implementing the following Schemes for weaker sections, including minorities :
- i. Remedial  Coaching  for  SC/ST/OBC  (non-creamy  layer),  and  Minority  Community Students
- ii. Coaching  Classes  for  Entry  into Services for SC/ST/OBC (Non Creamy Layer) and Minority Community Students
- iii. Coaching For National Eligibility Test or State Eligibility Test for SC/ST/OBC (NonCreams Layer), and Minority Community Students.
- iv. Certain relaxations in eligibility conditions in UGC-Junior Research Fellowship    for SC/ST students are provided.

*****