MUSLIM GIRLS EXCEL IN SCHOOL ENROLMENT

Enrolment of Muslim children in primary and upper primary classes in 2009-10 improved significantly with doing better than boys across the country. In fact, at the upper primary level (class VI-VIII) the percentage of Muslim girls, 49.97%, has been higher than the national average of 48.04%. A report by the National University of Educational Planning and Administration, after analysing data from 1.28 million recognised schools imparting elementary education from 635 districts spread over 35 states and union territories, shows a total enrolment of 17.17 million (against 14.83 million in 2008-09) Muslim children in primary classes in 2009-10. This is 13.04% of the total 131.72 million enrolment in classes I to V. During 2009-10, an additional 2.34 million Muslim minority children were enrolled in primary classes across the country. In 2008-09, the share of Muslim enrolment was 11.03% and in 2007-08, it was 10.49%.