Indian Muslims have significantly the lowest levels of school and higher education enrolment, and among the highest rates of stunting caused by malnutrition, which affects later development, academic performance, health and employment outcomes. Moreover, the estimated 31 million disadvantaged Muslim youth outside schools and colleges have limited literacy and employable skills, and are larger than their Muslim counterparts enrolled in schools and colleges. Muslims are also among the poorest groups in India, and clearly the most socially and politically marginalised.
For nations and communities in crisis seeking sustainable solutions, educational reform is the single most important driver of all-round social and economic development. Therefore while the perennial Muslim education issues of reforms in Urdu medium schools and madrasas, increasing girl’s enrolment and school scholarships are discussed, this new education agenda goes far beyond it to meet the enormous challenges of uplifting Indian Muslims from the bottom of the development and education ladder. By 2050, Indian Muslims will be larger than the Muslim population in any other country, including Pakistan and Indonesia.
The main purpose of this report is to catalyse a discussion on the new educational reforms and directions, which are required to promote the development and education of Indian Muslims. The present online report, Lifting Indian Muslims from the Bottom of the Development and Education Ladder: A Transformative Agenda for the 21st Century is a much shorter version of an earlier 2019 online report. For enabling wider dissemination, a listing of its summary and recommendations have been provided separately in English. This summary has also been made available in Hindi.
| Chapter | Title | Page No. |
|---|---|---|
| Abbreviations | 3 | |
| Abstract | 4-5 | |
| Introduction | 6-7 | |
| Section 1 | Rationale, Goals, Priorities and Distinctive Features of The New Education Agenda | 7-10 |
| Section 2 | Implementing Goal 1 - Ensure All Muslims Complete 12 Years Of Quality School Education From Classes 1-12 Attaining Relevant Learning Outcomes | 10-22 |
| Section 3 | Implementing Goal 2 - Ensure All Muslim Children Between Birth - 6 years Benefit from Access to Early Childhood Care and Education Programmes for the Birth - 3 years Stage of Infancy and 3 Years of Pre-Primary Education | 22-25 |
| Section 4 | Implementing Goal 3 - Ensure All Muslim Youth Under25 Years Outside Schools and Colleges Have Better Access to Varied Educational Opportunities and Vocational Training. | 26-30 |
| Section 5 | Impact of the 2020 National Education Policy (NEP) on the Implementation of the Three Goals of the New Education Agenda | 30-32 |
| Section 6 | Impact of the Covid-19 Pandemic on the Implementation of the Three Goals of the New Education Agenda | 33-35 |
| Section 7 | Indispensable Role of Muslim Organisations And Civil Society Groups in Implementing All Three Education Agenda Goals | 36-40 |
| Section 8 | Complete Listing of Recommendations for Government, Muslim Organisations And Civil Society Groups Towards Implementing All Three Goals of the New Education Agenda | 41-44 |
| Footnotes | 45-53 | |
| Tables | 54-60 | |
| Notes | 61-64 |