The Minority Affairs Ministry has constituted an 11 member committee to revamp the minority education in India.
The panel has suggested setting up of more than 200 schools and 25 colleges to overhaul the education system for minorities.
The panel has submitted its report to the minority affairs ministry suggesting that the new schools should follow the CBSE syllabus. Students belonging to minority communities may also be allowed to attend Madrasas for religious education.
As per 2011 Census, literacy rate of largest minority community – Muslims is 68.53%. The literacy
rate of Muslims is lowest among all minority communities and is also lesser than the national average of 72.98%. The poor quality of education with lower literacy rate among the community is a matter of concern keeping them at a “double disadvantage.”
Former parliamentary affairs secretary Afzal Amanullah will head the panel. He suggested that five national research and specialised education institutes will be set up in fields like science and technology, health sciences and architecture. As per the Government’s instructions, all the institute will provide co-education to help in improving the abysmally low literacy rate among Muslim women, said Amanullah.
“We have not said only minority students will be allowed to study in these institutes. But we want these institutes to come in minority-dominated areas so that the local boys and girls have an advantage,” Amanullah said.
The panel has proposed to set up 211 schools in places like Anantnag, Darbhanga where students will be taught free of cost.
Claiming that though Muslims are in dire need of modern education, the panel will also look at the needs of other minority communities as well, Amanullah said. “We have focused on imparting secular education. But if anyone wants to pursue theological studies, we have said that students can go to madrasas before the school hours,” he added.
