After the Andhra Pradesh and Kerala states’ decision to provide minorities with a quota in government employments and educational institutions, Congress-led UPA government at the centre has now implemented the 4.5% sub-quota for minorities carved out from 27% OBC quota effective from 1st January 2012.
The quota for minorities within OBC category is largely considered by opposition political parties as an attempt to woo the minority votes in view of forthcoming assembly polls in five states including Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Manipur which are highly concentrated states of Muslims, Sikhs and Christians respectively.
The quota is based on the recommendation and inputs by the government appointed fact finding National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities 2007 (popularly known as Ranganath Mishra Commission) about the socio-economic situation of linguistic and religious minorities in India. The Ranganath Mishra Commission concluded in its final report that the minorities especially the Muslims are very much under-represented and sometimes wholly unrepresented, therefore, it is highly recommended that 15% of posts in all cadres and grades under the central and state governments should be earmarked for minorities, of which 10% should be for Muslims due to their 73 percent share in the population of all minorities. The Commission had further stated that if it is not possible to give reservation as proposed above, 8.4% sub-quota may be earmarked for minorities (6% for Muslims and 2.4% for other minorities) within 27% OBC quota. However, the central government has announced 4.5 percent sub-quota for all minorities without any specification for Muslims against the recommendation of the commission.
Muslims most backward among minorities
However, it is of course a highly appreciated initiative for the advancement of most backward Muslim community into mainstream line but the achievement of goals are uncertain since the sub-quota is not for the highly backward Muslims but it includes all the minority communities Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) notified as minority communities under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 without considering the backwardness level between the minority groups as was recommended by the commission. Christian and Sikh communities are more advanced compared to Muslim. Yet, the quota for minorities was projected by media as a Muslim quota. Political discussions are also focused on Muslims as beneficiary whereas the real benefit would be for all minorities.
However, it is of course a highly appreciated initiative for the advancement of most backward Muslim community into mainstream line but the achievement of goals are uncertain since the sub-quota is not for the highly backward Muslims but it includes all the minority communities Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Zoroastrians (Parsis) notified as minority communities under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission for Minorities Act, 1992 without considering the backwardness level between the minority groups as was recommended by the commission. Christian and Sikh communities are more advanced compared to Muslim. Yet, the quota for minorities was projected by media as a Muslim quota. Political discussions are also focused on Muslims as beneficiary whereas the real benefit would be for all minorities.
While assessing the real backwardness among different minority communities as per the government released information, it is clearly realized that Muslims are the most backward community in India and instead of betterment, backwardness has increased in last years.
Unemployment
In terms of worker population ratio (WPR) (percentage of workers in total population), Muslims have the lowest 48.85 ratio while the Christians 54.75 and Sikhs 50.20 participation for the survey year 2009-10. WPR of Muslim in rural areas is only 45.9 and it is around 25 percent for women. The ratio has declined around 8 percent from the last survey report 2004-05.
In terms of worker population ratio (WPR) (percentage of workers in total population), Muslims have the lowest 48.85 ratio while the Christians 54.75 and Sikhs 50.20 participation for the survey year 2009-10. WPR of Muslim in rural areas is only 45.9 and it is around 25 percent for women. The ratio has declined around 8 percent from the last survey report 2004-05.
Share of Muslim employees in government sector employment is around 5 percent and it is accounted around 3.5 % in civil services as per government report 2006.
Lack of education
Poor access of education at all level and absence of women in working activities have adversely affected the Muslim participation. Lack of education has pushed Muslims down in employment. Literacy rate is lowest among Muslim in comparison to other religious communities; specifically female literacy is below the national average. Financial constraint (27%) is among the major reasons for discontinuation/dropping out education by Muslim followed by lack of interest of parent (18%) and children (12%). Between the age group of 20-30 Muslim graduates is only 1.2 percent whereas other minorities are 3.4% for the year 2004-05. High unemployment rate (16.7%) among Muslim graduate disappointed the community to get the higher education.
Poor access of education at all level and absence of women in working activities have adversely affected the Muslim participation. Lack of education has pushed Muslims down in employment. Literacy rate is lowest among Muslim in comparison to other religious communities; specifically female literacy is below the national average. Financial constraint (27%) is among the major reasons for discontinuation/dropping out education by Muslim followed by lack of interest of parent (18%) and children (12%). Between the age group of 20-30 Muslim graduates is only 1.2 percent whereas other minorities are 3.4% for the year 2004-05. High unemployment rate (16.7%) among Muslim graduate disappointed the community to get the higher education.
Poverty
Fast spreading poverty among Muslim is also a reason for their backwardness in getting the higher and professional education since almost one fifth of Indian Muslim population 18.5% are living below poverty line as per the estimation in 2007-08. Relative to rural areas, close to one fourth urban Muslim 23.7% are affected with poverty. On the opposite side, other minority groups only have the negligible poor population (Christian 7.55% & Sikhs 2.85%).
Fast spreading poverty among Muslim is also a reason for their backwardness in getting the higher and professional education since almost one fifth of Indian Muslim population 18.5% are living below poverty line as per the estimation in 2007-08. Relative to rural areas, close to one fourth urban Muslim 23.7% are affected with poverty. On the opposite side, other minority groups only have the negligible poor population (Christian 7.55% & Sikhs 2.85%).
A cross comparison between different religious groups is shown in given table which is based on the inputs derived from India human development report 2011:
Particular-----------------------------Year------Hindu---Muslim---Christian---Sikh
Worker Population Ratio---------------2009-10----53.95---48.85-----54.75-------50.2
Incidence of Poverty--------------------2007-08----13.65----18.5------7.55--------2.85
Out of School (6-17 Yrs.) Children--2007-08----17.7------28.8-------9.7---------17.7
Participation in higher education-----2007-08----5.8--------3.5--------8.5---------5.8
Literacy Rate-----------------------------2007-08----85.8-----75.1-------92---------88.2
Worker Population Ratio---------------2009-10----53.95---48.85-----54.75-------50.2
Incidence of Poverty--------------------2007-08----13.65----18.5------7.55--------2.85
Out of School (6-17 Yrs.) Children--2007-08----17.7------28.8-------9.7---------17.7
Participation in higher education-----2007-08----5.8--------3.5--------8.5---------5.8
Literacy Rate-----------------------------2007-08----85.8-----75.1-------92---------88.2
There are strong linkages between poverty, education and employment for the human development. Goal of inclusive development needs better integration of social and economic policies. As Muslims are lagging behind other fellow communities in all aforementioned spheres, truly represented quota could help to overcome the backwardness of community. Quota in place of merit of course is not an ideal criteria in the employment and education selection but to uplift and inclusive development, quota could be an effective policy for a certain period of time to safeguard the interest of backward communities as was experienced with the progress of scheduled castes and tribes after implementing of Mandal Commission recommendation. But the quota allocation should be dynamic in nature and need to be revised periodically to assess the achievement as per the targets, not to be transferred generation to generation even after they get empowered.
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