Even 10 years after the Rajinder Sachar Committee submitted its report on educational backwardness of Muslims and its resultant impact on their employment status, it is regrettable that nothing has changed much to empower the community, said Razak Ustad, Academic Council member of Gulbarga University, Kalaburagi.
He was addressing a seminar on “Justice Rajinder Sachar Report and Post Sachar: Challenges and Possibilities”, jointly organised by Rehnuma Law Centre and Sahara Hind Forum here on Monday.
Mr. Ustad said that out of the 76 recommendations of the committee, three — setting up an equal opportunity commission, quota for Muslims in admission in universities, creation of a new all India officers cadre to manage the Wakf boards and council — were not accepted, and one that recommended giving Arzal Muslims the status of Scheduled Castes had been deferred by the government.
The report, which is considered as being a true picture of the social, economic and education conditions of the Muslim community, noted that only 3 per cent of Muslims enrolled for higher education. It said that increased awareness had made them avail of various scholarships and government schemes. Around 38 per cent of the Muslims in urban area were living below poverty line, and it was 27 per cent in rural areas. Mr. Ustad said that the report also recommended steps to raise the employment and education status and economic conditions by providing financial assistance through welfare programmes.
Due to lack of desire, community people did not benefit from schemes introduced exclusively for their welfare through Multi Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP), Karnataka Minority Development Corporation (KMDC) in the past. However, awareness about minority welfare schemes has increased over the last four years, which reflected in the increasing number of applicants for scholarships. Around 11 lakh students benefited from scholarship this year, while in 2012, it was only 4.5 lakh students who applied for scholarships, he added.
Programmes such as Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDSSMT) introduced by the Ministry of Urban development were mainly to facilitate infrastructure development in towns and cities, having a substantial concentration of minority population. Around ₹ 6,000 crore had been allocated under 12th Five Year Plan for infrastructure development in 1,710 blocks and 88 towns with minority population, Mr. Ustad said.
Mr. Ustad called upon the leaders of the minority communities and non-government organisations to take steps to ensure that benefits of government schemes reached the needy among the minority communities.