Lack of quality education, facilities in higher education, and better career prospects are among the driving factors which have influenced the choice of several Muslim students in Uttar Pradesh who have left their homes to pursue higher education in other distant states. UP witnessed a staggering decline of 16% in the enrollment of Muslim students at the higher education level, to about 2.99 lakh in 2020-21 from 3.57 lakh in 2019-20, according to the AISHE 2020-21 report.
In a written reply in the lower House of the Parliament, Lok Sabha, Minister of State (MoS) for Education, Subhas Sarkar, said that the government has taken several initiatives to encourage minority students through scholarships or fellowships schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs to increase their rate of attainment in higher education and enhance their employability.
However, many Muslim students from Uttar Pradesh feel that the state does not have ample opportunities for a secure future. “I decided to come to Delhi in 2021 to pursue MBA since my district did not have any reputed university or college in the field. Most students in my area migrate to other cities for the same reason,” Suhail Sheikh (23), a final year MBA student in Jamia Hamdard, said.
Another student from UP’s Bijnor district, currently pursuing Politics Science at Delhi University, said that his parents wanted him to move out of the state for higher education in the lack of better opportunities. “The decision was not based on state politics and religious differences,” he added. Several families in the area prefer their children to be employed after schooling.
In the case of female Muslim students in Uttar Pradesh, the journey has been even more difficult when compared to males. “Women in our community are not encouraged to pursue higher education in our area due to societal and family pressure. Most girls drop out after completing basic education till 12th grade,” a female student on the condition of anonymity said. “Safety of women is a major concern among parents in the state behind sending their daughters to other states for higher studies,” another female student added.
As per Census 2011, Muslims in Uttar Pradesh constitute nearly 20% of the total population. The decline in enrollment of Muslim students in higher education has raised several questions about the quality of education and opportunities available in the state.