1242304423--Summary of Sachar Committee Report.pdf

## Summary Of Sachar Committee Report Background

On March 9, 2005 the Prime Minister issued a 
Notification for the constitution of a High Level 
Committee to prepare a report on the social, economic 
and educational status of the Muslim community of 
India.    

The seven-member High Level Committee, chaired by Justice Rajindar Sachar, submitted its final report to the Prime Minister on November 17, 2006.  The Government tabled the Justice Rajindar Sachar Committee Report in Parliament on November 30th.   

The Sachar Committee has compiled data from a number 
of sources.  The report frames these issues as related to 
identity, security and equity.  Barring some generic 
observations about the causes for the 'development 
deficit' among Muslims, there is no explicit or detailed 
discussion of the causes of such conditions.  

## Main Recommendations

The Committee made a number of recommendations to address the status of the Muslim community in India, including:  

- 
Set up an Equal Opportunity Commission to look into grievances of deprived groups like minorities.  
- 
Create a nomination procedure to increase participation of minorities in public bodies.  
- 
Establish a delimitation procedure that does not reserve constituencies with high minority population for SCs.  
- 
Increase employment share of Muslims, particularly 
where there is great deal of public dealing. Work out mechanisms to link *madarsas* with higher secondary 
school board.  
- 
Recognise degrees from *madarsas* for eligibility in 
defence, civil and banking examinations.  

The Committee suggested that policies should "sharply 
focus on inclusive development and 'mainstreaming' of 
the Community while respecting diversity." For a more 
detailed summary of the Committee's recommendations, 
see Appendix 1.  

## Terms Of Reference

The Committee's mandate was to:  

(a) Obtain relevant information and conduct a literature survey on the relative social, economic an educational status of Muslims in India at the state, regional and district levels;  
(b) determine the level of their socio-economic development; (c) determine the relative share in public and private sector employment; (d) determine the proportion of OBCs from Muslim community in the total OBC population in various states, (e) determine access to education and health services, municipal infrastructure and bank credit provided by Government/ public sector entities. 

## Key Findings

Population. According to the 2001 Census, India's 
Muslim population was about 138 million (about 13.4% 
of the total population), and by 2006 the Muslim 
population would be over 150 million.  The report states, 
"In India, populations of all major religions have 
experienced large growth in the recent past, but the 
growth among Muslims has been higher than average." 
Between 1961 and 2001 the percent of Muslim 
population increased from 10.7% to 13.4%. 
 
Table 1: Population Composition and Growth Rates 
(Percentage) 

|               |        |       |        |        |   All  |   Hindu Muslim Christian  |   Sikh  |   Buddh Jain Other  |
|---------------|--------|-------|--------|--------|--------|---------------------------|---------|---------------------|
| 1961          | 100    |  83.4 |  10.7  |   2.4  |   1.8  |                       0.7 |     0.5 |                 0.4 |
| 1971          | 100    |  82.7 |  11.2  |   2.6  |   1.9  |                       0.7 |     0.5 |                 0.4 |
| 1981          | 100    |  82.3 |  11.7  |   2.4  |   1.9  |                       0.7 |     0.5 |                 0.4 |
| 1991          | 100    |  81.5 |  12.6  |   2.3  |   1.9  |                       0.8 |     0.4 |                 0.4 |
| 2001          | 100    |  80.5 |  13.4  |   2.3  |   1.9  |                       0.8 |     0.4 |                 0.7 |
| Increase      |        |       |        |        |        |                           |         |                     |
| (1961-2001)   |        |       |        |        |        |                           |         |                     |
| 134           | 126    | 194   | 124    | 145    | 144    |                           |         |                     |
| 108           | 286    |       |        |        |        |                           |         |                     |
| Annual growth |        |       |        |        |        |                           |         |                     |
| (exponential) |        |       |        |        |        |                           |         |                     |
| 2.13          |   2.04 |   2.7 |   2.02 |   2.24 |   2.23 |                           |         |                     |
| 1.84          |   3.38 |       |        |        |        |                           |         |                     |

 Muslims have a higher share in the younger age groups. 

|                |      |        | All religions    | Muslims    |
|----------------|------|--------|------------------|------------|
|                | Male | Female | Male             | Female     |
| 0-9            | 23.2 | 23.1   | 27.1             | 27.4       |
| 10-19          | 22.4 | 21.2   | 24.8             | 23.8       |
| 20-29          | 16.5 | 17.2   | 15.9             | 16.4       |
| 30-39          | 13.8 | 14.4   | 12.4             | 13.0       |
| 40-49          | 10.3 | 9.7    | 8.8              | 8.3        |
| 50+            | 13.4 | 14.0   | 10.7             | 11.0       |
| Age not stated | 0.3  | 0.2    | 0.3              | 0.2        |

The Committee estimates the proportion of Muslims to 
rise to 18% to 21% by 2101 under different scenarios.  
There has been a decline in the growth rate among all 
groups between 1991 and 2001, including for Muslims 

in most states. The states with the highest percentage of Muslims include Jammu & Kashmir (67%), Assam 
(30.9%), West Bengal (25.2%), and Kerala (24.7%). 

|     |     |     |
|-----|-----|-----|

Though the sex ratio among Muslims at 936 girls per 
1000 boys is only marginally better than the national 
average of 933, the figure for the 0-6 age group is better 
at 950 (927 for all religions). 

Educational Conditions.  The literacy rate among 
Muslims in 2001 was 59.1%, below the national average 
(64.8%) with the gap greatest in urban areas.  In many 
states, Muslim literacy levels were higher than those of 
SCs and STs.  

|        |      |     |      |        | All India    | Rural    | Urban    |
|--------|------|-----|------|--------|--------------|----------|----------|
|        |      | All | Male | Female | All          | Male     | Female   |
| All    | 64.8 | 59  | 71   | 46     | 80           | 86       | 73       |
| Hindu  | 65.1 | 59  | 72   | 46     | 81           | 88       | 74       |
| SC/ST  | 52.2 | 49  | 61   | 36     | 68           | 78       | 58       |
| Muslim | 59.1 | 53  | 62   | 43     | 70           | 76       | 63       |
| Others | 70.8 | 64  | 77   | 52     | 85           | 90       | 78       |

However, the highest increase in school enrolment rates over the past five years have occurred among SCs/STs (with 95% increase) followed by Muslims (65%).    

The report also noted that despite a common belief that a 
large number of Muslim children attend madarsas for 
primary education, only 3% of Muslim children among 
the school going age go to madarsas.  Instead, many 
Muslim children are enrolled in Maktabs, which provide 
supplementary religious education in addition to 
enrolment in public schools.  

 
Higher Education. According to the 2001 Census, 7% of 
the population aged 20 years and above are graduates or 
hold diplomas, while only 4% among the Muslim 
population does.  The Committee Report notes that the 
gap between Muslims and other Socio Religious 
Categories (SRCs) increases as the level of education 
increases, and that unemployment rates among Muslim 
graduates is the highest among SRCs both among the 
poor and the non-poor.   
 
Table 5: Children Currently Studying as a 
Proportion of Population by Age Groups - 2004-05 

Other 
Minorities 
Age 
Hindus 
Muslims 
  
Gen 
OBC 
SCs/STs 
  
  
6-13 
19.1 (17.3) 
36.1 (35.5) 
25.7 (27.4) 
14.0 (15.1) 
5.1 (4.8) 
14-15 
24.3 (19.1) 
36.1 (35.2) 
21.4 (25.2) 
12.2 (14.5) 
6.0 (5.3) 
16-17 
28.9 (21.1) 
33.7 (35.0) 
20.2 (24.7) 
10.7 (14.0) 
6.3 (5.1) 
18-22 
34.0 (20.8) 
30.5 (34.4) 
17.7 (25.5) 
10.2 (13.9) 
7.6 (5.5) 
23 & up 
35.6 (23.9) 
29.2 (35.1) 
18.3 (24.1) 
7.4 (10.9) 
9.5 (5.9) 

Note: Figures in parentheses show the proportion of the community in the respective age-group.  

Economy and Employment & Government 
Employment and Programmes.  Worker population 
ratios for Muslims are significantly lower than for all 
other SRCs in rural areas, but only marginally lower in 
urban areas.  The lower ratios are mainly due to much 
lower participation in economic activity by Muslim 
women.   

## Public & Large Private Sectors (2004-05) (%)

|               |      | All      |
|---------------|------|----------|
|               | Govt | Pub/ Pvt |
| All           | 34.2 | 13.1     |
| All Hindus    | 35.3 | 13.9     |
| - SC/ST       | 39.4 | 9.5      |
| - OBCs        | 30.4 | 12.8     |
| - Upper Caste | 37.4 | 17.1     |
| Muslim        | 23.7 | 6.5      |
| Others        | 35.8 | 12.8     |

 
According to the Committee Report, "the most striking 
feature is the relatively high share of Muslim workers 
engaged in self-employment activity," primarily in urban 
areas and for women workers.  Participation of Muslim 
salaried workers in both the public and private sectors is 
quite low (as is true for SCs/STs), and the average salary 
of Muslim workers is lower than others (possibly, as 
more Muslims are in inferior jobs).     
 
Participation of Muslim workers in the informal sector is 
much higher than the average population, and the 

percentage of Muslim women working within their homes (70%) is much higher than all workers (51%).   

Muslims participation rates in traditional manufacturing 
and trade (especially wearing apparel, auto-repair and 
electrical machinery) is much higher than for other 
groups, while their participation in the agricultural 
section is lower.  Also, Muslim participation rates in 
security related activities, such as the police, was 4% as 
compared to SCs/STs at 12% and OBCs at 23% each.   
 
Table 7: Percentage Muslims of Total Population 
engaged in Government-related Employment 

| Government-related Employment      |   % Muslim  |
|------------------------------------|-------------|
| IAS                                |         3   |
| IFS                                |         1.8 |
| IPS/Security Agencies              |         4   |
| Indian Railways                    |         4.5 |
| Education Department (state level) |         6.5 |
| Home Department (state level)      |         7.3 |
| Police constables                  |         6   |
| Health Departments                 |         4.5 |
| Transport Department               |         6.5 |
| Judiciary Employment               |         7.8 |

 
According to the report, the overall participation of 
Muslims in Central Government departments and 
agencies is abysmally low at all levels.  There is not one 
state in which the representation of Muslims in the 
government departments matches their population share.   
 
Table 8: Share of Muslim Employees in Selected 
State Government Departments  

States 
Muslim  
Education 
Home 
Health 
Transport 
  
 Pop.  
HP 
LP 
HP 
LP 
HP 
LP 
HP 
LP 
Kerala 
24.7 
13.0 
11.7 
10.8 
10.7 
11.2 
10.2 
9.4 
9.2 
UP 
18.5 
- 
- 
8.1 
9.9 
4.3 
5.6 
1.9 
4.9 
Bihar 
16.5 
14.8 
11.8 
5.9 
7.1 
- 
2.6 
8.3 
10.9 
Assam 
30.9 
- 
- 
9.3 
11.5 
8.0 
11.1 
13.9 
11.5 
Jharkhand 
13.8 
- 
- 
5.7 
7.6 
6.0 
3.2 
- 
- 
Karnataka 
12.2 
5.0 
12.4 
3.6 
4.2 
4.7 
5.0 
16.8 
7.0 
Delhi 
11.7 
5.9 
7.2 
1.5 
2.3 
1.0 
1.8 
1.4 
1.1 
Maharashtra 
10.6 
2.9 
4.7 
4.2 
4.2 
2.6 
3.3 
- 
- 
Gujarat 
9.1 
1.7 
4.5 
5.6 
5.6 
2.2 
1.5 
9.4 
16.3 
Tamil Nadu 
5.6 
5.8 
5.3 
0.0 
2.6 
4.6 
3.3 
1.0 
2.6 
Sum of states 
16.0 
5.7 
6.2 
8.7 
5.6 
4.4 
3.5 
1.6 
6.9 
HP-higher positions; LP-lower positions 

Employment of Muslims is also very low in the 
Universities, Banks, and central PSUs.  
 
Access to Bank Credit.  The Committee reports that the 
access of Muslims to bank credit is low and inadequate.  
The average size of credit is low compared with other 
SRCs.  The 2001 Census shows that the percentage of 
households availing banking facilities is much lower in 
villages with high Muslim populations.  Some banks 
have identified a number of Muslim areas as 'negative 

geographical zones' where bank credit and other 
facilitates are not easily provided.  The average amount 
lent per account to Muslims is about half that of other 
Minorities, and one-third of "others".   
 
Table 9: Bank Credit (Amount outstanding) (%) 

|                  |   Muslims  |   Other Minorities  |   Others  |
|------------------|------------|---------------------|-----------|
| Pvt sector banks |        6.6 |                 7.9 |      85.5 |
| PSU banks        |        4.6 |                 6.3 |      89.1 |

The Committee Report states, "The financial exclusion 
of Muslims has far-reaching implications for their socio-
economic and educational upliftment…steps should be 
introduced to specifically direct credit to Muslims, create 
awareness of various credit schemes and bring 
transparency in reporting of information." 
 
Access to Social and Physical Infrastructure 
There is a clear and significant inverse association 
between the proportion of the Muslim population and the 
availability of educational infrastructures in small 
villages.  Studies found that, compared to the Muslim 
majority areas, the areas inhabited by fewer Muslims had 
better roads, local bus-stops, pucca houses, sewage and 
drainage and water supply facilities.   
The Committee highlighted the following points:  
 

- 
About one third of small villages with high concentration of Muslims do not have any educational institutions.  
- 
About 40% of large villages with a substantial Muslim concentration do not have any medical facilities.   

SC/ST 

 Poverty, Consumption and Standards of Living.  
Muslims face fairly high levels of poverty.  Their conditions on the whole are only slightly better than those of SCs/STS, though slightly worse in urban areas. According to NSSO data, overall 22.7% of India's population was poor in 2004-05 (251 million people), with SC/STs together as the worst off (at 35%), followed by Muslims at 31%. The report shows comparisons between consumption expenditures across SRCs.  Relative deprivation of the Muslim community in terms of consumption expenditure is much higher in urban areas than in rural. 

Residence and SRCs, 2004-05 (Rs) 
 
All Muslim Hindu-
General 

Hindu-
OBC 
Urban 
1105 
800 
1469 
955 
793 
Rural 
579 
553 
739 
567 
468 
All 
712 
635 
1023 
646 
520 

 
A substantially larger proportion of the Muslim households in urban areas are in the less than Rs 500 expenditure bracket.  Poverty among Muslims has declined in rural areas by 12%, whereas the economic conditions of Muslims in urban areas have not improved as much as other of other SRCs.   
 
Muslim OBC and Affirmative Action The report compares the status of Muslims who are not listed as OBCs and thus do not qualify for reservations with Muslim OBCs.  At least 82 different social groups among Muslims were declared OBCs by the Mandal Commission.  According to the last round of the NSSO survey, 40.7% of Muslims are Muslim OBCs, which is 15.7% of the total OBC population of the country. According to the report, "the abysmally low representation of Muslim OBCs suggests that the benefits of entitlements meant for the backward classes are yet to reach them."  The conditions of the general Muslim category are lower than the Hindu- OBCs who have the benefit of reservation. However, the conditions of Muslim-OBCs are worse than those of the general Muslim category.  The three groups of Muslims in Indiaashrafs, *ajlafs* and *arzals*, (in order of "caste" hierarchy) require different types of affirmative action. 

(Prepared by Priya Parker on December 7, 2006) DISCLAIMER: This document is being furnished to you for your information and exclusive use only.  The opinions expressed herein are entirely those of the author(s).  PRS Legislative Research ("PRS") makes every effort to use reliable and comprehensive information, but PRS does not represent that the contents of the report are accurate or complete.  This document has been prepared without regard to the objectives or opinions of those who may receive it. 

## Appendix 1 Main Committee Recommendations

- 
Set up an Equal Opportunity Commission to look into grievances of deprived groups like minorities.  
 
- 
Create a 'nomination' procedure to increase participation of minorities in public bodies.  
 
- 
Provide legal mechanism to address complaints of discrimination against minorities in matters of employment, housing, schooling and obtaining bank loans.  
 
- 
Establish a delimitation procedure that does not reserve constituencies with high minority population for SCs.  
 
- 
Initiate and institutionalise a process of evaluating contents of textbooks to purge them of explicit and implicit material that may impart inappropriate social values, especially religious intolerance.  
 
- 
Create a National Data Bank (NDB) where all relevant data for various socio-religious categories are maintained.  
 
- 
Set up an autonomous assessment and monitoring authority to evaluate the extent of development benefits.  
 
- 
Encourage the University Grants Commission to evolve a system where part of allocation to 
colleges and universities is linked to diversity in student population.  
 
- 
Facilitate admissions to the most backward amongst all socio-religious categories in regular universities and autonomous colleges and evolving alternate admission criteria  
 
- 
Provide different types of affirmative action to three main Muslim groups (ashrafs, ajlafs and arzals): Designate Arzals Muslim group as most backward classes as they need multifarious measures, including reservation.  Provide Hindu-OBC-type attention to Ajlaf Muslim group.  
 
- 
Provide financial and other support to initiatives built around occupations where Muslims are concentrated and that have growth potential.  
 
- 
Increase employment share of Muslims, particularly where there is great deal of public 
dealing. Working out mechanisms to link 
madarsas with higher secondary school board.  
 
- 
Recognise degrees from *madarsas* for eligibility in defence, civil and banking examinations.  
 
- 
Provide hostel facilities at reasonable costs for students from minorities on a priority basis.  
 
- 
Promote and enhancing access to Muslims in 'Priority Sector Advances'.  
 
- 
Include in teacher training components that introduce importance of diversity and plurality and sensitising teachers towards needs and aspirations of Muslims and other marginalised communities.  
 
- 
Open high quality Urdu medium schools wherever they are in demand and ensuring high quality textbooks for students in the Urdu language.  
 
- 
Draw Muslims on relevant interview panels and boards.  
 
- 
Improve participation and share of minorities, particularly Muslims, in business of regular commercial banks.  
 
- 
Set up a national Wakf development corporation with a revolving corpus fund of Rs 500 crore.  
 
- 
Create new cadre to deal with specific Wakf affairs. 
 
 
Sachar Committee Report: High Level Committee to examine the socio-economic and educational status of the Muslim community in India