The representation of Muslims in various central governmental jobs has been abysmally low over the years. The implementation of Sachar committee recommendations was a ray of hope and was considered a milestone for the overall growth of the community, but seven years after its implementation, the minority groups are still under-represented in various government sectors. What is even more disturbing is that the figures have declined further as compared to previous year.
Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Ninong Ering, while replying to a question in the Lok Sabha has accepted that the representation of minorities in government jobs and educational institutions is not in proportion to their population. The figures for minorities in government jobs like ministries, public sector banks, railways, paramilitary forces and public sector units was 7.28 percent in 2009-10 and 10.18 percent in 2010-11, but surprisingly it has come down to 6.24 percent in 2011-12. The figures themselves speak volumes about the seriousness of the government in implementing Sachar recommendations. A couple of months ago, Minority Minister K Rahman Khan lamented that Sachar Committee had made 72 recommendations for the welfare of Muslims and the Central government implemented 66 recommendations.
Another noticeable point is that when the Sachar committee submitted its report in 2006 it mentioned the poor representation of Muslims in police force apart from overall pathetic condition of Muslims in all walks of life. On the basis of a recommendation made by Sachar committee that Muslim officers should be appointed at the top position in police stations to build confidence of Muslims where the concentration is high, the government had assured the community from various platforms to increase minority representation in police force as well in other spheres of life. Even as PM’s 15-point programme for the welfare of the minorities the state governments are advised to pay special attention to minorities during recruitment of police personnel and further more even the selection committees to have representatives from the minority community.
In 2007, the number of Muslim police force stood at 1.01 lakh which was 7.55 percent of the total 13.4 lakh police force in India. But by 2012 the percentage growth of the total police force has been registered at 24 percent whereas the percentage of Muslims has fallen by 1 percent to 6.5 percent. However, in last five years of the total 3.26 lakh policemen recruited across India the number of Muslim policemen added in the same period was 7,132 which is 2.18 percent.
As per figure released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) in July 2012, of the total 75,117 police force in Delhi, the number of Muslim police officers was 1521 and the percentage was only 2 percent. In Maharashtra the percentage was only 1 percent. In Uttar Pradesh the percentage of Muslim police force was 4.8 percent. In Bihar the percentage was 4.5 percent. In Andhra Pradesh, the percentage of Muslim police force was 10 percent. In Karnataka, it was 6.4 percent. In Rajasthan it was 1.2 percent. In Jammu and Kashmir it was 60 percent and the all India percent was 6 percent.