Gujarat Muslim literacy, education 'experience relative decline' in the last decade

By A Representative
A recent research paper, "An Analysis of Education in Gujarat" by Sourindra Ghosh, has reached the drastic conclusion that though traditionally Muslim literacy rate in Gujarat has been better than the all-India average, in recent years it is showing a very slow increase. In fact, if the researcher is to be believed, "Gujarat's Muslim literacy rate relative to overall literacy" has lately experienced a decline. Ghosh, who works with Sewa Bharat in New Delhi, and has extensively been involved in several education related research works, says, "According to Census, in 2001 Muslim literacy rate was 73.5 per cent", which was higher than the overall liveracy rate of 69.1 per cent.
However, "according to the National Sample Survey Organisation's (NSSO's) 64th round figure, Muslim literacy rate in Gujarat increased marginally to 74.3 per cent, resulting in worsening off of Muslim literacy rate compared to Gujarat's overall literacy rate of 74 per cent at that time." The research paper finds its way in a recent authoritative study, "Poverty amidst Prosperity: Essays on the Trajectory of Development in Gujarat", edited by Prof Atul Sood of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. The study is a collection of a dozen research articles on Gujarat.
The researcher believes that an analysis of the Muslim literacy rate acquires significance in view of what he calls "Muslim minority question in Gujarat" becoming one of the "burning issues of our national discourse." Hence it "demands a special attention", even as analysing the educational status from the gender and caste perspective. The author says that while overall literacy rates of Muslims in Gujarat may be better than the correspending figures for the country as a whole, things are really worse off for its poorer sections.
Ghosh says, in Gujarat's rural regions, the "literacy rates of non-upper caste Muslims (that is, SCs, STs and OBC Muslims) is lower than the corresponding all-India figure." Quoting NSSO figures, the author adds, these are 57.38 per cent for non-upper caste Muslims of the rural areas as against the corresponding figure of 59.71 per cent for the country as a whole. As for urban areas, the corresponding figures for Gujarat are 80.67 per cent, while these are 71.97 per cent for the country as a whole. The average comes to 67.44 per cent for Gujarat and 63.85 per cent for the country.
What is even more interesting is that at the school level percentage of Muslims attending educational institions in Gujarat is lower than the overall state average. Thus, 89.1 per cent Muslims attend school in the age group 6-10 age group, while the state average for all the social groups is 92.5 per cent. In the age group 11-14, this gap drastically goes up in Gujarat -- just about 60.4 per cent Muslims attend school as against the state average of all social groups of 79.3 per cent. What is further interesting is that at the all-India level 71.6 per cent of Muslims attend school in the age group 11-14 -- suggesting a huge gap of 11.2 per cent. again.
Ghosh says, the analysis suggests that the social disparities are "more often than not are are higher in Gujarat regarding educational outcomes, participation and access" as compared other "progressive states", as well as the all-India level. His data, in fact, suggest that it is not just Muslims who are at the receiving at as far as education is concerned. The situation is true for other backward sections as well. Gender disparities are very sharp, in fact sharper than Haryana, which is known for gender disparities.
To quote the researcher, "In Gujarat male literacy rate stands at 84.75 per cent as compared to 64.8 per cent for the females. The difference is thus of 20 percentage points which is higher than the gap in literacy at the national level. This gap is higher in Gujarat in comparison with similar states like Haryana, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu." He adds, what is equally disconcerting is that the gender gap is even higher in Gujarat than these states both at the primary and above primary level school going children.

Comments

From plagiarism to proxy exams: Galgotias and systemic failure in education

By Sandeep Pandey* Shock is being expressed at Galgotias University being found presenting a Chinese-made robotic dog and a South Korean-made soccer-playing drone as its own creations at the recently held India AI Impact Summit 2026, a global event in New Delhi. Earlier, a UGC-listed journal had published a paper from the university titled “Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis,” which became the subject of widespread ridicule. Following the robotic dog controversy coming to light, the university has withdrawn the paper. These incidents are symptoms of deeper problems afflicting the Indian education system in general. Galgotias merely bit off more than it could chew.

Covishield controversy: How India ignored a warning voice during the pandemic

Dr Amitav Banerjee, MD * It is a matter of pride for us that a person of Indian origin, presently Director of National Institute of Health, USA, is poised to take over one of the most powerful roles in public health. Professor Jay Bhattacharya, an Indian origin physician and a health economist, from Stanford University, USA, will be assuming the appointment of acting head of the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), USA. Bhattacharya would be leading two apex institutions in the field of public health which not only shape American health policies but act as bellwether globally.

The 'glass cliff' at Galgotias: How a university’s AI crisis became a gendered blame game

By Mohd. Ziyaullah Khan* “She was not aware of the technical origins of the product and in her enthusiasm of being on camera, gave factually incorrect information.” These were the words used in the official press release by Galgotias University following the controversy at the AI Impact Summit in Delhi. The statement came across as defensive, petty, and deeply insensitive.

Farewell to Saleem Samad: A life devoted to fearless journalism

By Nava Thakuria* Heartbreaking news arrived from Dhaka as the vibrant city lost one of its most active and committed citizens with the passing of journalist, author and progressive Bangladeshi national Saleem Samad. A gentleman who always had issues to discuss with anyone, anywhere and at any time, he passed away on 22 February 2026 while undergoing cancer treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital. He was 74.

Growth without justice: The politics of wealth and the economics of hunger

By Vikas Meshram* In modern history, few periods have displayed such a grotesque and contradictory picture of wealth as the present. On one side, a handful of individuals accumulate in a single year more wealth than the annual income of entire nations. On the other, nearly every fourth person in the world goes to bed hungry or half-fed.

From ancient wisdom to modern nationhood: The Indian story

By Syed Osman Sher South of the Himalayas lies a triangular stretch of land, spreading about 2,000 miles in each direction—a world of rare magic. It has fired the imagination of wanderers, settlers, raiders, traders, conquerors, and colonizers. They entered this country bringing with them new ethnicities, cultures, customs, religions, and languages.

Thali, COVID and academic credibility: All about the 2020 'pseudoscientific' Galgotias paper

By Jag Jivan* The first page image of the paper "Corona Virus Killed by Sound Vibrations Produced by Thali or Ghanti: A Potential Hypothesis" published in the Journal of Molecular Pharmaceuticals and Regulatory Affairs , Vol. 2, Issue 2 (2020), has gone viral on social media in the wake of the controversy surrounding a Chinese robot presented by the Galgotias University as its original product at the just-concluded AI summit in Delhi . The resurfacing of the 2020 publication, authored by Dharmendra Kumar , Galgotias University, has reignited debate over academic standards and scientific credibility.

'Serious violation of international law': US pressure on Mexico to stop oil shipments to Cuba

By Vijay Prashad In January 2026, US President Donald Trump declared Cuba to be an “unusual and extraordinary threat” to US security—a designation that allows the United States government to use sweeping economic restrictions traditionally reserved for national security adversaries. The US blockade against Cuba began in the 1960s, right after the Cuban Revolution of 1959 but has tightened over the years. Without any mandate from the United Nations Security Council—which permits sanctions under strict conditions—the United States has operated an illegal, unilateral blockade that tries to force countries from around the world to stop doing basic commerce with Cuba. The new restrictions focus on oil. The United States government has threatened tariffs and sanctions on any country that sells or transports oil to Cuba.

Conversion laws and national identity: A Jesuit response response to the Hindutva narrative

By Rajiv Shah A recent book, " Luminous Footprints: The Christian Impact on India ", authored by two Jesuit scholars, Dr. Lancy Lobo and Dr. Denzil Fernandes , seeks to counter the current dominant narrative on Indian Christians , which equates evangelisation with conversion, and education, health and the social services provided by Christians as meant to lure -- even force -- vulnerable sections into Christianity.

Search This Blog