One of the indices of the progress of a community is the state of its educational advancement. This is to be measured not only in quantitative but also in qualitative terms. Educational advancement is all the more important in a democratic and developing nation like India to create a space for the community or individuals. As such, the promotion of education should have been one of the priorities of Muslims in independent India but unfortunately it has not received due attention by those who claim to be leaders of the community. Muslims have not explored opportunities for educating themselves. They lacked vision though Muslims in India have something to cheer about.
Whatever their setbacks on other fronts, Muslims may receive a boost in the field of education provided they have strong determination and right approach. Rights of minorities, enshrined in Article 30(1) of the Constitution stipulate that “they can set up and run educational institutions of their choice”. Its scope is so vast that Former Chief Justice of India V.N. Khare opined on August 14, 2003, “Even if the government enacts a law nationalising all private educational institutions, minority institutions will be exempted from it because of the Article 30 protection.” Now it is up to Muslims to avail themselves of the opportunities.
Minority educational institutions have been exempted from the purview of the 104th Amendment of the Constitution that enables the state under Article 15(5) to provide reservation of seats in unaided educational institutions for socially and educationally backward classes or scheduled castes and scheduled tribes. This fact has been upheld by judiciary also right from the Kerala opinion (AIR 1958 CS 956) to the T.M.A. Pai Foundation verdict of the Apex Court. If the Muslims establish their own educational institutions, the fact is that no government will be empowered to snatch their seats in the name of uplifting other sections of the Indian society. The concept of ‘deemed universities’ suits best to Muslims.
Due to the sociological, historical and political dimensions of the Muslim educational scenario, the Apex Court’s ruling in the T.M.A. Pai Foundation case upholding and recognising the right of minorities to admit students of community without any limitation in unaided institutions and without the ceiling of 50 per cent in aided institutions should receive socio-political support. It needs to be kept in mind that Muslims have so far not been the beneficiaries of Article 30(1). Justice Sachar Committee Report itself reveals this harsh reality.
No one can deny that educational status of Muslims is far below the normal. It is an irony that sometimes the community itself remains aloof and fails to support individual attempts of upgrading education among Muslim masses. The Vice Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University, Prof. P.K. Abdul Azis has embarked upon a mission of transforming educational scenario of Muslim community. He has taken many forward steps like standardising school education, introducing market oriented new courses, creating a peaceful and conductive atmosphere in the campus for studies and establishing centres across the country for admission tests. He has plans of opening four new schools in the Muslim dominated areas of the city. But he is not getting required support. Instead some vested interests are road-blocking him. Such negative attitude on the part of those who claim to be leaders of the community or well wishers is most condemnable. We should develop a positive attitude towards educational advancement of Muslims.
We should understand one thing that the State exclusively can never uplift any community. Let us consider the development of some other communities that were far more disadvantaged than Muslims. They developed on their own without any special state patronage. See the development of Jatavas of Agra and Kanpur, of the Gounders and Naidus of western Tamil Nadu, of the Nadars of southern Tamil Nadu, of the Kutchis and Patels of Gujarat and of the Ramgadis of Punjab. Studies of these communities show that they have moved ahead with courage and determination. They turned their unity into social capital instead of vote banks to serve the political class. Muslims form the second largest section of India’s population. If they decide and embark upon the mission of development, they can turn India’s socio-politico canvas upside down.