Yenepoya Abdulla Kunhi, founder, Yenepoya University believes professional education opens up greater opportunities for minorities and to join the mainstream. An ENN Report

Karnataka’s population has risen steeply in the last decade. The state ranks fifth in literacy with a sharp increase in the number of schools, colleges and IT companies. Literates out of the total population aged seven years and above stand at 75.36 per cent, up from 66.64 per cent in the last 10 years. Though educationally progressive, there were gaps in higher education (medical education in particular) for minority students in the district of Dakshina Kannada and neighbouring areas of Karnataka.
Things took a turn when Yenepoya Abdulla Kunhi, Chairman of the religious minority trust Islamic Academy of Education (IAE) established in 1991, and Director at the Yenepoya Group of Companies, and a few like-minded intellectuals recognised this gap. This led to the establishment of Yenepoya University, an initiative of IAE, a trust dedicated to the memory of legendary entrepreneur late Yenepoya Moideen Kunhi, who laid the basis of industrialisation in the region.
The Islamic Academy of Education (IAE) is today working the upliftment of the social, economical and educational status of the minority communities in the region. The IAE trust was created with the objective to establish and administer educational institutions, such as schools, colleges and institutes of general education, medical and dental education, engineering and commercial education. This dream was fulfilled with the help of Yenepoya University.
A minority institution, the Yenepoya University is the first private deemed university in Dakshin Kannada district and has a total intake of over 400 students with the Muslim community constituting 70 per cent of students at the medical college. Till date, 1,700 students from minority communities have been awarded degrees by this university and other institutions under the ambit of the IAE. These institutions have also generated employment for over 3000 people from minority communities alone. The founder Yenepoya Abdulla Kunhi firmly believes that professional education can provide greater opportunities for the Muslim community to join mainstream professional careers by utilising their knowledge and skills for the betterment of society.
Prior to the establishment of Yenepoya institutions, the number of minority students, especially Muslims, opting for professional courses such as medicine was limited as education in this particuar discipline was quite expensive. The opportunities were also limited in other institutions due to fierce competition from others. For minority students in this region, the establishment of Yenepoya institutions was a dream comestrue as it provided an opportunity to study medicine and health science subjects in affordable way. Till date, several thousands of students from minority communities, especially women, have graduated from Yenepoya institutions and are contributing to the society in a big way.
Running several specialised courses in medicine, admission to the university is through an all-India entrance test which is held in multiple centres throughout India. The selection is based on merit, which ensures selection of right students who can match industry standards. The placements records are proof of the quality education provided at the university.

Future Ready 

Keeping in tune with times, Yenepoya University has also undertaken instructions through digital learning and etablished an e-learning centre in 2011. ‘Yengage’, the e-learning portal for Yenepoya University was setup by the Information Technology section to support ICT-based learning for its students. This is an online service which facilitates the students, staff, tutors and management with a friendly and interactive environ- ment, which will enable better learning by providing study information and learning content anytime anywhere.

“‘Yengage’, the e-learning portal for Yenepoya University was setup by the Information Technology section to support ICT-based learning for its students”

Electronic Medical Record (EMR) Training

The E-learning centre undertakes onjob training on usage of electronic medical record-keeping, which is an essential part of any medical hospital abroad. The EMR modules are becoming an important feature of the Indian hospital environment. The e-learning centre at Yenepoya University started training on EMR modules for medical interns and the post-graduates as an add-on course. The university also received a National Award ‘Certificate of Excellence’ by e- INDIA for the innovative training programme on Health Information Management System (HIMS).
The Yenepoya Foundation, a unit of Yenepoya Moideen Kunhi Memorial Educational & Charitable Trust and the Yenepoya University jointly distribute academic excellence awards to students excelling in SSLC, PUC and under-grad- uate degree examinations and encour- age them through scholarships every year. These awards are given to students of Dakshin Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka and Kasaragod district of Kerala purely on the basis of merit. Recipients of these awards are around 300 every year and the total budget allocated for this purpose is Rs 10 lakh. The award is given to individuals who score the highest percentage in their respec tive examinations and also to a few minority institutions which have secured 100 per cent results. The award consists of certificates and cash awards ranging from `3,000 to `10,000.
Today, Yenepoya institutions are a role model for making professional and technical education accessible, affordable and contemporary.

Schemes for minorities should be planned in a manner where the Centre is responsible for implementation, disbursal, monitoring and evaluation and the state government is not in the picture, says Dr Zahir I Kazi, President, Anjuman-I-Islam. In conversation with ENN, Kazi says that timely implementation of central schemes for minorities is the need of the hour. Excerpts from an interview

Anjuman-I-Islam is running educational institutions for more than a century now. Do you see a shift in the aspirations of minority youth?

The shift is so visible that minority community youth do not have any inferiority complex now. They are aware of ample opportunities and challenges they have to face. This is a big shift. They realise they are part of the competitive world and need to be gogetters.

Are minority educational institutions able to meet the growing aspirations of youngsters?

Minority educational institutions run by Anjuman take care of content and container, which translate into the quality of content and the infrastructure. We get the best of equipments and faculty for our students. Minority educational institutions (MEIs) like Anjuman Islam invest the money they get back into the institution. MEIs create a brand for themselves and for those who are associated with it. Otherwise, we would have been unable to attract students even from the minority community.

Anjuman Islam and other minority educational organisations run colleges and institutions. Why shouldn’t they try to build a university?

We have more than one hundred schools, colleges and polytechnics, and we have enough land too. But Anjuman is not getting funded by the government like Jamia Millia or Aligarh Muslim University. Nor are we a private company running educational services on a commercial basis. However, we are thinking of having our own university.

What is the time frame you have set to establish such a university?

We will establish it in the next five to six years.

Is Anjuman expanding abroad?

We had got offers. But nothing concrete has materialised. We are in the process of due diligence on the offers we get.

How do you view the budgetary allocation for minority education?

Frankly speaking, I have not understood the Union Budget. What I know is that in the 12th Five Year Plan, there was a certain amount to be given to minority community for education. I was the Chairman of the Sub-Committee on implementation of schemes aimed at minorities set up by the Union Human Resource Development ministry. We spent some time on that. Several problems emerged during the meetings. The central government has to talk to state governments over the implementation of central schemes. There are too many speed-breakers. We have to ensure implementation of minority schemes on time. With regard to the budgetary allocation, all I can say is that it looks rosy on paper. Timely implementation of central schemes is what matters. Let me illustrate this with an example. The government has earmarked 100 girls’ hostels in the minority-concentrated districts. Now, the government has been unable to find land for the same. But if you involve organisations like Anjuman, we can take the responsibility of setting up these hostels.

Rich History

With a strong desire to see the Muslim Community advance in education and social standing, Anjuman-I-Islam was founded in 1874 by a small group of devout and progressive Muslims led by Dr Badruddin Ty bji, the third president of the Indian National Congress and the first Indian Chief Justice of the Bombay High Court. 140 years in existence has seen it grow from one school to over a hundred schools, colleges and polytechnics

“Anjuman is not getting funded by the government like Jamia Millia or Aligarh Muslim University”

Does setting up of a separate minority education board serve any purpose?

Again, it will be faced with the same problems. It will not have authority over state governments. The schemes should be planned in such a way that the Centre is responsible for implementation, disbursal, monitoring and evaluation and the state government should not be in the picture. Currently, Centre gives 75 per cent and there are delays by state government which has to give 25 per cent. It should be funded 100 per cent by the Centre.

Would increased representation of education leaders from the community in the decision- making process improve the situation?

Yes. There is a case for better representation of minorities in decision-making bodies. Competent leaders from the minority community should be engaged and their inputs should be taken into account by the government while designing policies and schemes.

Having begun with an inspiration to meet the challenges of education in rural India, the Teerthanker Mahaveer University today strives to become the ultimate destination for world-class education

A small number of schools, unimpres- sive infrastructure, limited resources and lackluster faculty are some of the many issues that have, over the years, hampered access to education for many in the boondocks of India. Place these issues in the context of minority education and you get a gloomy picture.
They say it takes an optimist to find inspiration in adverse situations. The founders of Moradabad-based Teerthanker Mahaveer University (TMU) set one such example. The inspiration behind setting up this institution stems from the very issues that have plagued the spread of education in India. Prem Prakash Jain (father of the current university Chancellor Suresh Jain) was a teacher by profession, and a passionate one at that. What troubled his passion for teaching, however, was the limitation of resources and the absolute dearth of schools with a decent infrastructure.
This inspired his son Suresh Jain to dedicate his life to his father’s dream of upliftment of society through quality education. He decided to convert his village residence into a school, which soon turned into a hub for teaching activities in the rural area and is today known as the Madan Swarup Inter College, imparting education to about 3,000 children in Hariyana, Moradabad.
Setting up of an institute with a vision to impart professional education to the students of Moradabad was another milestone in this journey. Suresh’s endeavour soon began bearing fruits with the establishment of Teerthanker Mahaveer Institute of Management & Technology (TMIMT) in 2001 to offer programmes such as BBA, BCA, MCA, MBA, B.Ed, M.Ed and B.Sc. (Home Science) which brought employment opportunities for the young aspirants.
Seven years later, Teerthanker Mahaveer University finally came into existence in 2008. Set up as a Jain minority state private university established by Act No. 30 of 2008 of the Government of Uttar Pradesh and approved by University Grants Commission (UGC) under Section 2(f), the university is located on National Highway-24 and is barely 144 km from New Delhi. The university stands committed to the ideals of Lord Mahaveer i.e. right philosophy, right knowledge, and right conduct in all its operations. The university aims and aspires to be recognised as an ultimate destination for world-class education.

Awards and Recognition

• “The Best Private University of India Award” constituted by Journalists Federation of India in September 2012
• “Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award” for Best Higher Education Institution by Pehchan-International Social Organisation in August 2013
• “CIDC Vishwakarma Award 2013” for outstanding contribution towards “Mission Skilling India” by Construction Industry Development Council and CIDC Partner in Progress Trophy 2014

 The driving force behind this gigantic task of setting up the university is Chancellor Suresh Jain, who along with the Group Vicechairman Manish Jain, continues to strive to raise its status to a world-class university. At present, over 100 programmes are being offered at under-graduate, post-graduate and doctoral levels through 17 on-campus colleges and six independent teaching departments in the disciplines of management, dental, medical, engineering, computing sciences, pharmacy, nursing, para-medical sciences, physiotherapy, architecture, law, journalism, education, physical education, agriculture sciences, home science, social work, hospital administration, fine arts, language studies and Jain studies. Programmes in medical, dental and engineering are the most sought after among these.
From a humble beginning of 1,055 in 2008-09 in the first academic session, TMU today provides education to more than 14,000 students from almost all states of the country, which includes around 100 foreign students from Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Maldives. This not only gives a pan-India outlook, but also promotes a multi-cultural environment for learning. The number of boys and girls are in 75:25 ratio. Out of the total strength of the students, 30 percent belong to minority communities.
The academic programmes are designed and reviewed in consultation with professional organisations and industry experts in order to provide a strong academic rigour and industrial perspective. These courses are delivered by a faculty known for its dedication to teaching and research and with close ties with the national/international academic and business communities. The initial faculty strength of 100 in 2008-09 has now increased to 750. The core strength of the faculty comes from the rich diverse group of men and women who are leaders in their respective fields. Some of these faculty members are educated abroad and also have research to their credit.
The university has provisions for liberal scholarship schemes and a safe and secure environment, which has resulted in a progressive increase in the enrollment of girl students in general and from the Muslim community in particular. In a short span of time, TMU has emerged as a catalyst in socio-economic transformation of the region and is nurturing professionals who are competent to meet the diverse needs of society and industry.

‘Set Measurable Objectives with Definite Timeline’

The country has high hopes from the new government at the Centre, says Suresh Jain, Chancellor of Teerthanker Mahaveer University. In an interaction with ENN, he stresses upon the need for identifying more measurable objectives with a definite timeline to gauge the effectiveness of efforts made by the state and central governments. Excerpts from an interview

Barring a few, why is it that many minority institutions do not become popular or sought after?

Most of the minority institutions offer few courses either in engineering, management or medical field. The students are doubtful about the quality of education imparted there. Though TMU is also a minority university, there is a wide variety of programmes on offer. This is why students are eager to join this university for quality education.

What were the challenges of management while setting up and in operating the institute and university?

The first challenge was to find the possibility to provide education to the increasing number of students who aspire to get higher education at par with global standards. Designing a curriculum in accordance with the higher education policy of the government was another challenge. Availability of resources was also one of the hurdles we faced.

Does your institute manage to attract best talent available? Do you believe that you can match industry standards?

Due to the quality of education that we are providing at an affordable cost, TMU manages to attract best talent available. The curriculum has been designed and is updated from time to time in accordance with industrial needs. Provision is also made to update students as per the requirement of the industry, specific to their specialisation for technical needs.

What is the level of industry interface?

The University Corporate Resource Centre regularly interacts with the industry to get inputs for review and upgradation of our curriculum. Corpo- rate meets are organised to assess the requirement of the industry and give students an insight into the working of the corporate world. It acts as an interface between industry and university.

Have you assessed whether graduates from your institution find immediate placement in corporate and government? Do they face problems?

The graduates get placement in corporate and government organisations.

Do you offer any career counselling services for students?

The University Corporate Resource Centre equips the students with necessary skills required for their employment in the industry and other organisations. This centre also organises personality development, career guidance and counseling pro- grammes for the students so as to gear them up to take on the stiff competition in the corporate world.

Any tie-ups with other central or foreign universities to offer more courses?

The University has MOUs with the following foreign universities to enhance global prospective: Polytech Nantes (France) Vanier College, Canada Sol Bridge International Business School (South Korea) Tabesh University, Afghanistan University Jean Moullin Lyon 3, France

Is your institution considering to introduce skill development and vocational courses?

The University has established four state-of-the-art language labs with 240 computer terminals provided with hi-tech language software for developing basic, intermediate and business level language skills. Various short-term courses are also offered in association with leading organisations such as SAP, Oracle, Red Hat, CISCO, IL&FS, TCS, IBM, CMS, Microsoft and CIDC.

In your view, have the central and state governments done enough to promote minority education?

Though the central and state governments are making efforts to promote minority education, more measurable objectives need to be set with a definite timeline to gauge the effectiveness of these efforts.

What are your expectations from the Narendra Modi government with the Prime Minister having stressed on education and a skilled India?

Education is the most important issue that any civilised society would like its government to address properly. The country has high hopes from the new government at the Centre. Certainly, through its policy and plans, it shall address the needs of education and help in skilling the youth for the present and future.

Any suggestions or grievances that you believe need to be urgently looked into?

There should be a level-playing field for private-funded educational institutions when it comes to policy and plan as compared to publicfunded institutions, especially in terms of research, consulting, students scholarship grants and representation on various policy and decision-making bodies of government such as councils, boards, commissions, task force and panels.

Despite receiving several lucrative offers, Mahbubul Hoque decided to begin his career as an educational entrepreneur. In 2001, he established the Education Research and Development Foundation (ERDF), Guwahati, with an inspiration to spread education to every nook and corner of society irrespective of caste, creed and religion. ENN tracks the journey

Having lost his parents at an early age, Mahbubul Hoque led a turbulent life since childhood. Managing his educational expenses by taking tuitions, he passed his matricula- 38 August 2014 / digitalLEARNING tion with high marks, graduated from GC College, Silchar and went on to complete his MCA from Aligarh Muslim University. With a strong determination to change the educational scenario of the north-eastern region, he decided to begin his career as an educational entrepreneur despite having received lucrative job offers from multi-nations in India and abroad. He established the Central IT college in 2001 and began operations with just one computer and four students. For the purpose of generating funds, Mahbubul even had to assemble computers.
However, with the mission clear in his head, Mahbubul founded the Educational Research and Development Foundation (ERDF) that enabled him to achieve new milestones in the field of educational infrastructure. He established the Regional College of Higher Education in 2007, a professional college affiliated to North Eastern Hill University, Shillong. This institute has secured top positions in all examinations conducted by NEHU. In an attempt to enable rural education capture new heights in the remotest parts of Assam, he further set up two Central public schools affiliated to the CBSE in Karimganj, his home town. His endeavours did not stop here, and in 2009, he went on to establish the Regional Institute of Science and Technology (RIST), a state-of-the-art engineering college approved by the AICTE and affiliated to NEHU, Shillong.
His dream project of the University of Science and Technology in Meghalaya where he serves as Chancellor, how- ever, was realised only when the Legislative Assembly of Meghalaya enacted the 2011 USTM Act. Through focussed studies conducted by leading academicians and scientists on the educational needs of the region, the university looms set to transform the north-east into a tech-savvy region. ERDF has also been working towards capacity-building among young graduates aspiring for the IAS, GATE, NET and other competitive examinations conducted by the UPSC and other government agencies. The Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed Centre for Coaching and Guidance and ‘HOQUE 20’ are steps in this very direction. The philosophy behind setting up ERDF was to produce quality manpower that can uplift the region and accelerate the nation-building process. This, the founder believes, can be achieved through streamlining education from KG to PG, promoting research, science and technical education and developing strong leadership.
Prior to the time when the institute came into existence, there were hardly any options available for professional courses in the region. As a result, these institutions today are educating students right from the KG level up to the university. Domains of the academic programme are CBSE affiliated till class tenth and for twelfth in science and commerce. Other courses include engineering, management, computer science, biotechnology, applied sciences, environmental sciences, electronics, sociology, public administration, disaster management, education, psychology, economics, rural development, social work and library and information sciences. Engineering, biotecnology and management are the most sought after courses in the university that has a total student strength of 5,000 as compared to the four students they started with. The total faculty strength also stands at an impressive 270.
Educating girls, especially among the minority communities, has been a challenge not just for the government, but also for institutes. The prevalence of the social evils such as child and early marriage of girls in minority families both among the educated and nonedbeen possible through the encourageucated class prevents girls from getting higher education. To break this barrier, ERDF has started a women’s college in a minority-concentrated district of Assam. This, the founder says, has only been possible through the encourage ment of the Committee on Girls’ Eduction, National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI).
In further impetus to promoting education, the university provides 100 per cent tuition fee waiver for students of families below poverty line, and 33 per cent reservation for girls in all educational institutions. There is also a merit-cummeans scholarship for female students. The ratio of boys and girls in ERDF institutions stands at a healthy 4:6.

The Challenges

Attracting best talent, both in terms of student intake as well as faculty and administrative positions, is quite a challenge for any newlyformed institution. However, in the case of institutes under ERDF, not only have they been able to attract a core group of dedicated and talented persons matching industry standards, they have also managed to retain these people. Interfacing with the industry and maintaining effective linkages with all stakeholders has been a hallmark for the ERDF group of institutions. Formal tie-ups, MOUs as well as informal links are established with R&D institutions, industries both at the national and state level to accommodate training and development, internship, project works and field studies for our students. The university is also in the process of getting more collaborations with US-based universities and organisations for higher education and placements. Placing freshers today is indeed a big challenge. However, with the appropriate internship programmes and field exposures, grooming and soft skills training, ERDF has been largely successful in this department.

“The prevalence of the social evils such as child and early marriage of girls in minority families both among the educated and non-educated class prevents girls from getting higher education”

ERDF VISION 2016:

• To set up a centralised women’s hostel with library and coaching facilities for administrative services.
• To set up eight new CBSE- affiliated schools in the rural minority dominated areas
• To set up two coach- ing and career guidance centres for administrative services, employment and admission at Barak Valley and Guwahati.
• Two ITI s for women

 “We are in a very positive mode, and after a long time in India, we have a government which appears to be striking the right chord, cutting across all sections of the society” says ERDF founder Mahbubul Hoque. This has been reflected in the recent budget that emphasised on Madrasa modernisation. “It is a very good initiative, but we also have to take into account the fact that only three to four percent students are going to Madrasas. A major chunk of children either drop out from schools or do not go at all,” he adds. Focussed initiatives from the government and an emphasis on general education in minority-dominated areas through establishing quality need-based institutions could indeed go a long way in improving access of education for those who need it the most.

Ascent through education lasts a lifetime. It was a realisation of this fact that guided Haji Ajmal Ali earn people’s goodwill through welfare measures like building schools, hospitals and providing scholarships to students in the communally-sensitive Nagaon district of Assam

Sixty six years since India got its independence, poverty, illiteracy, social inequalities, lack of proper health care and violence continue to plague India. Though true, many such observations are often brushed aside as a cynic’s cliché. The reason largely being urban In dia’s growing indifference against social, educational and geographical inequalities. Although this stands true for most of the country, the lack of access to basic and higher education in north-eastern states only spells out the failure of successive governments in addressing this issue.

Despite all odds, Assam-based Ajmal family, however, dreams of a state where education is accessible to all – irrespective of caste, creed and religion. Their dream is to take education to the students of rural India at an affordable cost, cutting across the barriers of expensive education in the metros and other cities of the country.

In 2006, the Ajmals established Maryam Ajmal Women’s college of Science & Technology, Hojai in Nagaon. The college offers higher secondary education in science stream and graduation degrees in science and humanities. The college was established by Ajmals (Mohammed Amiruddin Ajmal, Mohammed Fakhruddin Ajmal, Mohammed Badruddin Ajmal, Mohamed Sirajuddin Ajmal and Late Nazir Ajmal) in memory of late Maryam-un-Nessa Ajmal. The primary idea behind setting up these institutes was to perpetuate education by empowering women and enabling them to be equal participants in the rapidly changing scientific and technological scenario that has swept the world.

Locals say that Maryam-Un-Nessa had devoted her entire life for the empowerment of rural women by supporting girls for education, providing marriage aid for girls, working towards self-sufficiency of women and undertaking awareness initiatives for capacity building etc. In line with her efforts to encourage girl students towards getting educated, the foundation also provides financial support to girls from poor family backgrounds, scholarships for meritorious girls and special exemption for girls from remote areas and SC & STs.

“The will to happiness is universal but in most cases it remains a far cry due to the domination of the class with vested interests who reap undue and unearned benefits and largesses at the cost of the deprived, the marginalised, the destitute and the poor. Real social progress will remain a mirage if a large segment of our population remains uneducated, poor and sick. It is here that people and organisations with a zeal for public welfare play the most pivotal role at social transformation. The Ajmal family strongly believes in helping people know how to fish rather than giving them a fish,” says Mohamed Sirajuddin Ajmal, Director, Ajmal Group of Companies, who is also actively involved in community services.

The Ajmals today run multiple charitable programmes under Markazul Ma’arif, Haji Majid Memorial Public trust, Ajmal Foundation and the Ajmal Group of Colleges. Through these organisations, they have established relief and rehabilitation centers, orphanages, multispecialty charitable hospitals, schools and colleges across Assam.

Asked whether the college is able to attract students and quality faculty in the face of students from the north east flocking to bigger metropolis like Delhi, Mohamed Sirajuddin replies in the affirmative. An important reason behind this is their focus on safety and security of girls, a conducive academic enviroment, individual attention, personality development and crucially, the brilliant result of students. “We also conduct Ajmal National Talent Search Examination (ANTSE), which is a national level talent testing examination conducted every year for students from the third standard to degree levels. The intent is to inculcate a competitive mindset among the students, recognise their talents, provide scholarships and cash awards. This also helps us attract talent,” he says.

Despite the goodwill enjoyed by the Ajmals, setting up the colleges and operating them was no cakewalk. The foremost challenge that the Ajmals faced was lack of awareness among the guardians and students. Motivating students and parents towards higher studies in science was a tall ask. This was apart from tracking different verticals like higher education, school education, distance and open learning, vocational educational, skill training and leveraging the scope of ICT in education. Things, however, look promising today with students intake at the Maryam Ajmal Women’s college of Science & Technology rising from a mere 18 in 2006 to 457 in 2014.

Furthering their dream to take education to remote areas and to those who could not pursue higher studies for various reasons, the Ajmal Foundation provides them an opportunity through its study centre of Krishna Kanta Handique State Open University (KKHSOU). They also have smart classrooms and satellite audio-visual interactive classroom for civil service examinations besides other facilities.

Looking ahead, the foundation wants establishment of universities for minorities or the expansion of the campus of Aligarh Muslim University in minority concentrated states like Assam, West Bengal, UP, Bihar, Kerala etc. for improving the access and quality of education in the state. They also seek new Jawahar Navodaya Model Schools in minority concentrated districts, model colleges and ITIs in minority concentrated blocks, more placementlinked Ajeevika model projects for minorities through the Ministry of Minority Affairs and scholarship facilities for minority students for higher studies, especially for girls. In terms of improving infrastructure, the foundation also wants the government to look into construction of hostels for minority boys and girls in all cities, towns, subdivisions, municipalities and adjacent areas of major educational institutions. Allocation of land for minority educational institutions, etc also feature on their list of expectations.

Nagaon district in Assam is a hot bed for communal unrest. However, welfare activities by the Ajmal family in the area has not only helped them expand their business empire and increase their popularity among people, it has also propelled them into a political force. Maulana Badruddin Ajmal of the Ajmal clan who founded the Assam United Democratic Front (AUDF), now the All India United Democratic Front, is currently a Member of Parliament from Dhubri constituency in Assam. He plans to set up a medical college in Hojai and a university in Guwahati. One hopes these measures and initiatives gain momentum and help the cause of promoting education in every nook and corner of the state.

Set up after a Moplah rebellion 93 years ago, the JDT Islam orphanage continues to work towards uplifting orphans and underprivileged children through free education and aspires to bring more children under its fold. ENN reports

Established in the Malabar region in 1922 for the rehabilitation of children orphaned in the Moplah rebellion in 1921, Jam’iyyat Da’wa Tablighul Islam, better known as the JDT Islam Orphanage, is a charitable and a cosmopolitan educational institution.

There is an interesting background as to how the JDT came into being. Prior to the setting up of the institution, a majority of the population in the region were living in abject poverty, except for a few landlords. The peasants had no right to their property except to cultivate after paying a fixed portion to the landlord as ‘pattam’. What followed was the Malabar revolt of 1921 that left about 10,000 dead and thousands of children orphaned.
Inspired by an article written in The Hindu by freedom fighter Mohammed Abdurehman, Abdul Khader Kasoori, a philanthropist from Lahore in the then undivided Punjab, went to Malabar in the 1920s and took up the initiative to purchase land and establish JDT, their first such initiative.
What began as an orphanage with the intention to provide shelter, food and care for the unfortunate offsprings of the bygone Malabar Rebellion has today made its mark spreading education in the Malabar region. Such has been the journey of the JDT group that it was bestowed with the National Award for Child Development by President Pranab Mukherjee in 2011.
Over the years, JDT has grown 27 institutions under its management offering 70 courses under various streams and offers courses that include B. pharma,D. pharma, B. Sc, Nursing, Poly Diplomas, B. Com, BBA, Multi media and Biotechnology. The group also set up an Industrial Training Institute in 1978, Information Technology Centre in 2005, School of Nursing in 2007 and a Community college in 2011. With the introduction of new courses, the intake of students has also increased in the new academic session. “Every year, the student intake is around 2,600 and continues to increase with additional number of courses introduced at every new academic session,” C P Kunhimohammed, Chairman and President of JDT Islam Group of Institutions points out.

“JDT Islam has journeyed a long way and is known for spreading education in the Malabar region”

With high literacy rates in Kerala, women form a major chunk of JDT’s faculty strength. Of the total 1,521 faculty members, around 1,109 are women and the remaining 412 are male employees. The JDT Group also offers fee concessions, free hostel accommodation and priority in employment to women students. Due to tie-ups with various industries for placement of students and training of staff, Kunhimohammed claims most engineering students are absorbed through campus interviews. “In addition, we are conducting job fairs and recruitment drives by inviting different employers. Our students are employed in various firms in and outside India,” he adds. Besides existing vocational courses, JDT Group also conducts different courses under the modular employment scheme of the central government.
In an effort to improve the employability of their students, the group has now submitted a proposal to the Centre for sanction of a Community Polytechnic. The JDT High School has also received an amount of ` 25 lakh as a portion of grant by the central government through its Infrastructure Development Scheme for minority institutions. To inspire students and teachers of the group towards new horizons, JDT also organises a talent show annually in the areas of art, handicraft, social, antiques, collections, science etc. Around 20,000 students and teachers of JDT’s 27 institutions participate in the talent show.
“We need the government to introduce scholarship programmes to for orphans undergoing vocational and professional schemes, sanction more finance to establish courses funds for institutions for infrastructure and financial assistance to minority community,” says Kunhimo hammed, seeking greater support and encouragement from the government. It is high time such philanthropic organisations engaged in uplifting the weak and downtrodden were funded well.

Educating a woman is educating a generation, believes Dr Shabistan Ghaffar, Chairperson, Committee on Girls Education, National Commission For Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI), who has made tremendous efforts in breaking various taboos on girls’ education in the Muslim community. In an interaction with ENN, she says education is a weapon which can take nations ahead and women can play a decisive role in this progress. Excerpts from the interview

How challenging is the task of empowerment of minority women through education?

Well, it is challenging every time when one talks of women empowerment. Women, regardless of religion, region or colour are a minority within minority. Every time she raises her voice for equality, even in terms of educational empowerment, she has to struggle and convince every layer of society for her rights. Sometimes, even if parents are motivated to provide education to girls, certain social taboos in the name of religion, culture and region prohibit them from doing so.

As Chairperson, Committee on Girls’ Education, NCMEI, what are the recommendations that have you made?

A number of suggestions and proposals have emerged during close interactions of NCMEI members and its Committee on Girls’ Education with policymakers, regulators, stakeholders, social activists, functionaries of NGOs, community leaders and the like. We gave more than 30 recommendations to the government. These included scholarships, open schooling, distance learning, community college, hostels, teachers training, expansion of Hunar scheme and recognition of Muslim women artisans. Most of these recommendations have been implemented by the ministry.

What according to you is the state of minority education for girls in the country?

The state of minority education in India is generally regarded as unsatisfactory, particularly for Muslims and Buddhists, who are categorised under the most educationally backward sections of the country. Although Christians, Sikhs and Parsis are deemed as educa tionally better off, they have their own specific issues and problems with regard to education. In spite of being the largest minority group in India, the Muslim community is also faced with immense tribulations, especially in the field of education where it cascades behind. Dearth of suitable educational institutions and lack of proper infrastructure in Muslim-dominated localities is one of the most recurring inadequacies which have had a bearing on the community’s educational attainments for a long time.

How do you see the work of civil society and educational institutions in promoting education?

Community sensitisation is one of the major steps taken by the NCMEI’s Committee on Girls Education. The role of civil society in the process of community development is increasing with the passage of time and the central and state governments are allocating huge funds in the social sector. However, there is a dearth of non-government organisations working exclusively among the Muslim and Buddhist communities. For other minorities such as Christians and Sikhs, quite a good number of NGOs are working and serving the interest of the members of the respective communities. Therefore, there is need to motivate local Muslim activists to form associations committed to community development in large numbers. Moreover, most of the NGOs already serving the community lack due capacity in terms of information, training, documentation and resource management.

Successive governments since Independence have vowed in the name of minority education and their educational institutions, but little meets the eye. K S Narayanan delves deeper into the ticklish issue

Illconceived notions and stereotyping communities have been age-old traits of our society. People often take undue pride in such prejudices and thus abet spreading canards. Vested interests have often held different minority communities and their affairs to ransom through overt and covert means. One of such favourite targets remain the minority educational institutions, and it is commonplace to see belittling comments about those, both in social gatherings and now the all-pervasive social media.

However, a closer look at the contribution of minority educational in- stitutions across the country only attests their deep sense of engagement in spreading the light of literacy towards promoting equality and empowerment in the post-Independence India. A significant nation-building process cannot be forgotten despite hoarse prime-time debates on 24×7 news channels every now and then.

Unfortunately, the media focus in terms of covering minority communities is limited to the events and politics surrounding victimisation, persecution or communal flare-ups, and seldom highlights the positives like the significant role played by their educational institutions. As per the 2001 census, the major minorities in India include Muslims (14 per cent), Christians (2.34 per cent), Sikhs (1.86 per cent), Buddhists (0.77 per cent), Jains (0.41 per cent) and Parsis (negligible). The census put the overall percentage of religious minorities in the country at around 18.4 per cent of the total population.

Understanding that illiteracy is one of the major contributors to poverty in any socio-religious community is no rocket science. The literacy rate of Muslim females is only 50.1 per cent, which is significantly lower than all other minorities and the national average for all religious communities in India. According to the 2001 Census, total literacy rates of Hindus stood at 65.1 per cent, Muslims 59.1 per cent, Christians 80.3 per cent, Sikhs 69.4 per cent, Buddhists 72.7 per cent and for others it is 47 per cent. Since the community-wise data of literacy segregated on the basis of religion has not been released for the 2011 census, we have to depend on the 2001 census data.

The overall level of literacy of the country has increased from 61 per cent in 2001 to 74 per cent in 2011, the latest census data shows. It is, however, disappointing that states with a large population of Muslims such as UP, Bihar, West Bengal and Assam still continue to lag behind other states like Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Maharashtra in terms of literacy. Even though compared to the overall population of the country, a higher per centage of the Muslim population lives in urban areas, their participation in education continues to be much lower than the general population.

There are many individual success stories that exist among all minority communities, including Muslims, the largest minority. But, it is they who are still well below the national average in terms of income, education and levels of influence in society. Acknowledging this, a committee under the chair- manship of Justice Rajinder Sachar was constituted to look into the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community in India and sug- gest solutions.
According to findings of the report, submitted in November 2006, a fourth of Muslim children in the age group of 6-14 years have either never attended school or are drop-outs. For children above the age of 17 years, the educational attainment at matriculation level is 17 per cent as against the national average of 26 per cent. Only 50 per cent of Muslims, who complete middle school, are likely to complete secondary education, compared to 62 per cent at national level. The report has also drawn attention to the low levels of educational attainment among Muslim women, Muslims in rural areas as well as in technical and higher education.

“A closer look at the contribution of minority educational institutions across the country only attests their deep sense of engagement in spreading the light of literacy towards promoting equality and empowerment in the post-Independence India”

This was probably the first attempt to analyse the condition of the Muslim community using large-scale empirical data. It clearly brought to fore the relative deprivation of Muslims in India in various dimensions including employment and education. Similarly, an analysis of patterns and trends by Rakesh Basant, Professor of Economics, Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad,points to the relatively low levels of participation of Muslims in the education space despite seeing an improvement in recent years. The situation in urban areas, however, remains poor especially for Muslim males. “The community does not fully appreciate the rewards of education even as returns to education are high and household endowments along with location play a critical role in determining the participation of Muslims in education,” the analysis read.
In this backdrop, digital Learning profiled some of the leading minority educational institutions across the country, especially those run by the Muslim community, and found that stakeholders including the community, government, legislature, civil society and the corporate sector, are doing their bit to improve the educational status of minorities.

“While the realisation of “educating a woman is educating a generation” may exist in some quarters of society, the translation of this idea into action has been largely missing”

Set up in 2004, the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) has the mandate to safeguard the educational rights of the minorities in India. “We have issued approximately 10,000 minority status certificates to minority educational institutions. We have also made certain recommendations to the state governments concerned for safeguarding the educational rights of minority guaranteed under the Constitution. Some of the state governments have assured us that orders passed by this Commission shall be implemented,” NCMEI chairperson MSA Siddiqui said when asked how successful the Commission has been in achieving its objective. “This Commission has created confidence among minorities about protection of their constitutional rights,” he added.

Over the decades, successive governments have taken steps to improve the ecosystem for improving the educational status of the minority community. The UPA Government also initiated steps to improve the socioeconomic and educational status of minority communities in the country through the Prime Minister’s New 15 Point Programme for the Welfare of Minorities. This was an overarching pro- gramme that covered various schemes and initiatives of different ministries and departments by either earmarking 15 per cent of targets and outlays for the minorities or through specific monitoring of flow of benefits to minorities or areas with substantial minority population.

The incumbent NDA government is also stepping up its efforts. Reacting to the BJP-led government’s projects for a skilled India, Sayyid Ibrahimul Khalilul Bukhari, founder of Ma’din Academy located at Mallapuram in Kerala, said that the government’s allocation of Rs 100 crore for modernisation of Madrasas is a welcome move. “We expect that the educational development activities will be more inclusive and accountable in the Modi government,” he added.
Presenting the Union budget for 2014-15, Finance minister Arun Jaitley assured funds for minority welfare. Allocations for various minority-related schemes under four Union ministries — Home, HRD, Civil Aviation and External Affairs — have also been jacked up by 15.17 per cent from ` 4,049.73 crore in 2013-14 to ` 4,669.29 crore in this year’s budget.

Leaders in the field of education for minority communities across the country, however, want the government to allocate more funds for minority education, set up quality institutes, implement policies and schemes timely, and undertake disbursal of scholarships and bank loans. Dr M A Khatkhatay, General Secretary and a founder member of Modern Educational Social and Cultural Organisation (MESCO), Mumbai, called for a concerted and multifaceted impetus to the minorities. “The government should publicise various welfare schemes. More importantly, all welfare schemes of the central government should be time-bound. This entails a process where any application of grant-in-aid should be sanctioned or rejected within six months after the date of submission. Funds sanctioned under central schemes should be directly transferred to the NGOs’ account, like the scheme of cash in lieu of subsidy through Aadhaar card,” he said.

There is a growing feeling in the minority communities that in order to ensure these measures, they should be made part of the decision-making process and have a greater say in government bodies in the education sector. Abdur Rahaman Ansary, General Secretary of All Bengal Federation of Minorities’ Educational Institutions, wants a central board of minority educational institutions, an autonomous body that provides, promotes, assists and grants recognition to minority educational institutions from the elementary to college levels. Bukhari further called for setting up of more educational institutions and realisation of more infrastructural development in areas which are socially and educationally backward, especially in eastern and northern India.

“There is a growing feeling in the minority communities that they be made part of the decision-making process and have a greater say in government bodies in the education sector”

Educating a woman is educating a generation. While this realisation may exist in some quarters of society, the translation of this idea into action has been largely missing. In order to study the low rate of literacy among Muslim females (at 50.1 per cent), the NCMEI constituted a committee on girls education under Dr Shabistan Ghaffar. According to her, there are several challenges and issues related to girls’ education. “When we talk to parents, we find that they are very hesitant in sending their girls to schools because of several reasons, including lack of female teachers and unavailability of toilets,” she pointed out. The committee has given more than 30 recommendations to the government.

Community sensitisation has been among the major challenges identified by the NCMEI’s Committee on Girls Education. The role of civil society in the process of community development is increasing with the passage of time, and the central and state governments are allocating huge funds in the social sector. However, there is a dearth of non-government organisations working exclusively among Muslims and Buddhist communities. Moreover, most of the NGOs working with a genuine intent and drive lack due capacity in terms of information, training, documentation and resource management.

While the approach of stakeholders towards improving education for minority communities is positive, the pace definitely needs to gather some momentum. It is important to realise that minorities in India are a major section of the contemporary India. It is in their success that the success of India lies.
While HRD minister Smriti Zubin Irani’s announcement of devising a new education policy should address these and several other issues, the Narendra Modi-led NDA government, which has come to power riding the plank of development, should also look at edu- cating and skilling all sec- tions of society for ‘better days’ for a truly inclusive India.