Sheikh, M.U.D. & Jahan, Q. /Educationia Confab
ISSN: 2320-009X
Literacy Rate of Muslim Women in Uttar Pradesh (India)
Mehraj Ud Din Sheikh* & Dr. Qamar Jahan**
*Research scholar, Dept. of Education, AMU, Aligarh
** Associate Professor, Dept. of Education, AMU, Aligarh
Abstract
Islam holds a genuine appeal both as a religion and as a way of life. Equality of men and women
is emphasized by the Quran in all matters relating to the creation of mankind. Both the Quran
and the Sunnah advocate the rights of women and men equally to seek knowledge. Inequality
exists with women to receive education in general and Muslim women in particular. In this paper
an attempt was made (i) to examine the literacy rate of women at national level in general and at
state level (UP) in particular, (ii) to know the district wise literacy level of Muslim women in UP,
(iii) to know the community wise literacy level of Women in UP and (iv) to know the community
wise literacy rate of Women in Aligarh. This paper is based on secondary sources i.e. census of
India 2001 and 2011. The data was analyzed by percentage and was graphically represented. It
revealed that the female literacy level of India by the census 2001 and 2011 was 53.7% &
65.46% and the female literacy rate of UP by the census 2001 and 2011 was 42.2% & 59.26%
respectively. It revealed that there exists disparity in literacy rate between the national and state
(UP) average. The community wise analysis of female literacy in UP revealed that the females
belong the Jain Community posses the highest literacy rate (90.28%) as compared to the others
and the females belong to the Muslim community possess the lowest literacy rate (37.28) as per
the census 2001. The same trend was seen in Aligarh district i.e. the females belong to the
Muslim community posses the lowest literacy rate (40.93%) and Janis the highest (94.09%). In
the present study it was found that women are educationally backward in general and Muslim
Women in particular, there exists a community and gender disparity in Utter Pradesh. Why is it
that the Muslim Women are educationally backward as compared to women belonging to other
communities in Uttar Pradesh? This is the major concern for planners, administrators, policy
makers as well as civil society.
Key terms: Educational Status, Literacy Rate, Islam, Muslim Women and U.P
Introduction
Indians are severely experiencing the inequalities and disparities. We see sharp
inequalities of cast, creed, tribe and rural urban divide. Gender cuts across all these layers
making women and girls of the disadvantaged groups the most deprived members of our society.
Gender inequality in education is highly existent in general and minority women in particular.
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Any discussion on the present situation of minority women would be incomplete without looking
at the situation of women in general and Muslim Women in particular. The vogue (blurred)
picture of women in India has received a lot of attentions resulting in advancement of women in
all fields. The Constitution of India grants the rights to Equality and Right to Freedom of
Religion and Protection of Interest of Minorities in regard to educational rights. For six decades,
the nation has worked and moved towards building and sustaining a secular democracy and
advancing the interests of the historically disadvantaged sections including women. Article 15(1)
on right to ‘equality’ provides the basic policy framework that enshrines the vision of girls'
education and the spirit in which their education is to be provided. Ramamurti Committee (1990)
observed and recommended that in order to promote participation of the girls and women in
education at all levels, there is a need for an integrated approach in designing and implemented
the schemes. Swami Vivekanand rightly said “Give me a good mother; I will give you a good
nation”. It has been generally accepted that educating a man is educating an individual, but
educating a women is educating the whole family. The report of the University Education
Commission (1948-49) observed that there cannot be an educated people without educated
women. If general education is to be limited to men or women, that opportunities should be
given to women, for them it would most surely be passed on to the next generation. Pt.
Jawaharlal Nehru said, “to awaken the people it is women who must be awakened”. National
Policy of Education (NPE) 1986, revised in 1992 is a major landmark in the evolution of the
status of women in India.
National Policy of Education (NPE), 1986
Need to take special steps to advance education of Muslims was noted in the NPE 1986
its programme of Action (Revised in 1992) and led to formulation of the Area Intensive
Educational Development as a Central Government Scheme of the MHRD. The NPE, 1986
states the following with regard to minorities:“some minority groups are educationally
backward or deprived. Greater attention will be paid to the education of these groups in the
interest of equality and social justice. This will naturally include the constitutional guarantees
given to them to establish and administer their own educational institutions, and protection to
their languages and culture. Simultaneously, objectivity will be reflected in the preparation of
textbooks and in all school activities and all possible measures will be taken to promote an
integration based on appreciation of common national goals and ideas, in conformity with the
core curriculum”(Nayar, 2007).
Major policies and programmatic inputs are being made to ameliorate the overall
situation of women in general and Muslim women in particular. One such report is “Sachar
Report” which made a humble attempt to prepare a report on the social, economical and
educational status of Muslim community of India.
Sachar Report (2006)
A Prime Minister’s high Level Committee (Sachar Committee) was appointed in 2005 to
prepare a report on the Social, Economic and educational status of the Muslims community. The
committee was to consolidate, collect and analyze the above information to address relevant
issues by the government relating to the socio, economic and educational status of the Muslim
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Community. Some of the important issues related to education of Muslim community addressed
by Sachar Committee are:
• As many as 25 per cent of Muslim children in the 6-14 year age group have either never
attended school or have dropped out.
• Drop-out rates among Muslims are higher at the levels of primary, middle and higher
secondary as compared to all the socio religious categories.
• The Muslim parents are not averse to mainstream education or to send their children to
affordable Government schools. The access to Government schools for Muslim children
is limited.
• While the perception of deprivation is widespread among Muslims, there has been no
systematic effort since independence to analyze the condition of religious minorities in
the country.
• The non-implementation of recommendations of several earlier commissions has made
the Muslim community wary of any new initiative.
• Muslims carry double burden of being labeled as anti-national and as being appeased at
the same time.
• Markers of Muslim Identity — the burqa, the purdah, the beard and the topi — while
adding to the distinctiveness of Indian Muslims have been a cause of concern for them in
the public realm. Muslim identity also comes in the way of admitting their children to
good educational institutions.
Islam and Women’s Education
Equality of men and women is emphasized by the Quran in all matters relating to the
creation of mankind (Mohammad, 2004). Both the Quran and the Sunnah advocate the rights of
women and men equally to seek knowledge. Indeed, the first verse of the Quran was a command
to the Prophet to read (Iqra): ‘Read! In the name of your Lord Who created, created man from
clots of congealed blood. Read! Your Lord is the Most Bountiful One, Who taught by the pen,
taught man what he did not know (Quran, 96:1) The Quran commands all Muslims to exert effort
in the pursuit of knowledge irrespective of their sex. It constantly encourages Muslims to read,
think, contemplate and learn from the signs of Allah in nature. He made it clear that seeking
knowledge was a matter of religious duty binding upon every Muslim man and woman. His
teachings were widely sought by both sexes and at the time of his death it was reported that there
were many women scholars. So in Islam there can be no restriction of knowledge to one sex at
the expense of the other. Today, however, family circumstances, together with the traditions and
customs of specific Muslim countries, may work to the detriment of the girl, in terms of
depriving her of education, for reasons which have nothing to do with Islam (Jawad, 1998). One
of the most important rights granted to women by Islam is the right to Education. Before Islam
the condition of women was decimal. With the advent of Islam, the position of women was
radically redefined. As it prohibited the practice of ‘female infanticide’ and restored the birth
rights of women. Islam holds a genuine appeal both as a religion and as a way of life. The
prophet is reported to have said ‘All people are equal, as equal as the teeth of a comb. There is no
claim of merit of an Arab over a non-Arab or of a white over a black person or of a male over a
female. Only God fearing people merit a preference with God’ (Bukhari, Vol 1). There is no
priority for men over women in relation to the right to education. Both are equally encouraged to
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acquire education, as already shown, ‘from the cradle to the grave’ (Malik, 1979). Prophet
Mohammad (S.A.W) instructed his followers to educate not only their women but their slave
girls as well (P.S. Ali. 1975). The following Hadith puts it thus: a man who educates his slave
girl, frees her and then marries her, this man will have a double reward (Tritton, 1957). The
wives of the Prophet, especially Aisha, not only taught women, they taught men also and many
of the Prophet’s companions and followers learned the Quran, Hadith and Islamic jurisprudence
from Aisha. Also, there was no limitation placed on women’s education. Women were allowed
to learn all the branches of science. She was free to choose any field of knowledge which
interested her. Nonetheless, it is important to stress that, because Islam recognised that women
are in principle wives and mothers, they should also place special emphasis on seeking
knowledge in those branches which could help them in those particular spheres (Jawad, 1998).
Area of Study
The State of Utter Pradesh is one of the largest States of the Indian Union comprising of
eighteen (18) Mandals, seventy one (71) districts, three hundred twelve (312) sub-districts/
tahsils, six hundred forty eight (648) statutory towns, two hundred sixty seven (267) census
towns and one lakh six thousand seven hundred and four (106704) villages. The corresponding
figures in Census 2001 are seventeen (17) Mandals, seventy (70) districts, three hundred (300)
sub-districts/tahsils, six hundred thirty eight (638) statutory towns, sixty six (66) Census towns
and one lakh seven thousands four hundred fifty two (107452) villages. There is an increase of
on district, namely Kanshiram Nagar and thirteen sub-districts/tahsils. The total population of the
state is 199,581,477 persons. Out of which 155.72 per cent population resides in villages and
44.47 million urban respectively and registered a growth rate of 20.09 per cent during 2001-2011
decade (Census, 2011).
Objectives of the Study
The objectives of the present study are:
• To study the literacy level of women at national level in general and at state level (UP) in
particular,
• To know the district wise literacy level of Muslim women in Uttar Pradesh.
• To know the community wise literacy level of Women in Uttar Pradesh and
• To know the community wise literacy level of Women in Aligarh.
Concepts and Definition
• Literacy Rate: Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) defined literacy as ‘the
ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed
and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of
learning to enable an individual to achieve his or her goals, to develop his or her
knowledge and potential and to participate fully in the society’.
Literacy rate up to 1981 was taken into account the total population. It was decided in
1991 that if the sub-population in the age group 0-6 is excluded from the total population it
will become more meaningful. The same concept has been retrained in all Censuses since
1991.
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The literacy rate taking into account the total population in the denominator has now been
termed as “crude literacy rate” while the literacy rate calculated taking in to account the
seven and above population in the denominator is called the “effective literacy rate”. The
formula for computing crude literacy rate and effective literacy rate are as follows:
• Crude Literacy Rate= Number of Literacy Persons × 100
Total Persons
• Effective Literacy Rate= Number of Persons aged 7 and above × 100
Population aged 7 and above
Effective literacy rate and literacy rate have been used interchangeably in this study ()
• Muslim Women: Muslim Women refers to those women who belong to Muslim
community, in other words are those women who follow the religion of Islam.
Analysis and Interpretation
Literacy Rate of women at national and state (UP) level
The national literacy rate of females and state (U.P) literacy rate of females in 2011 was
65.46% and 59.62% respectively, showing that there is discrepancy of 5.84 per cent between the
nation and state (UP) as shown blow (Figure I). This means the female literacy rate of Utter
Pradesh is lagging far behind the national average. Residence wise description of Census figure
(2011) shows that the literacy rate of females belong to urban areas of UP are lagging far behind
8.24 per cent from the national average, same is the case with females belong to rural areas are
lagging far behind 3.14 per cent.
Figure I Percentage of Literacy Rate of Women in India and UP in 2011
Thus, it can be inferred from the above figure after 65 years of independence and despite
intensive efforts by the state over decades to improve the literacy level approximately half of the
population of females in UP is still educationally backward. Research indicates that Poverty,
financial constraints, illiteracy of poor parents, lack of neighbourhood schools, faulty curriculum,
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lack of trained teachers, traditional teaching approach, low retention and enrolment, population
growth are the major causes that prevent children from accessing education. Underdevelopment
of rural areas and certain regions are perhaps the factors for educational and social lag of these
populations in general and of women and girls in particular. Socio-economic factors contribute
significantly to disparities in literacy and educational attainment among women in rural and
urban areas. Perceptions of public security — partly associated with increasing incidents of
communal violence — prevent parents from sending daughters to schools located at a distance
where they would have to use public transport. This is particularly the case when they reach
upper primary and middle school and leads to high dropout rates among Muslim girls in this age
group.
Figure II Percentage of Literacy Rate of Muslim Women in U.P. by District wise, Census
2001
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Having a glance at Figure II shows the literacy rate of Utter Pradesh reveals that Mau
district has the highest literacy rate of females belong to Muslim community reported 62.71 per
cent followed by Azamgarh, Kanpur Nagar Jhansi, Ghazipur, Ballia, Lucknow, Ambedkar
Nagar, Mirzapur, Lalitpur reported 60.36 per cent, 57.49 per cent, 57.23 per cent, 56.77 per cent,
56.24 per cent, 56.19 per cent, 55.87 per cent, 54.37 per cent literacy rate respectively by the
Census 2001. Shrawasti district of UP possess the lowest literacy rate of females belong to the
Muslim community reported 15.21 per cent, followed by Balrampur, Bahraich, Rampur, Gonda
reported 22.05 per cent, 23.13 per cent, 24.78 per cent, 25.70 per cent literacy rate respectively.
The Muslim Women literacy rate in Utter Pradesh ranges from 15.21 per cent to 62.71 per cent
shows there are still wide inter and intra regional/ communal disparities in development per se. A
general analysis at the district level presents a disapprove/dislike picture of Muslim women in
Uttar Pradesh. In as few as three out of seventy districts literacy rate among Muslim women are
equal of higher than the state average. No districts in Uttar Pradesh has equal of higher literacy
rate of Muslim women than the national average.
Figure III Showing the Community Wise Literacy Rate of Women in U.P, 2001
It is evident from figure 3 that the female literacy rate of Jain community is the higest
92.25 per cent among the different community of utter Predesh followed by Christians 67.36
per cent, Sikhs 63.76 per cent, others 52.03 per cent. While as the females belongs to Muslim
community have the lowest literacy rate 37.38 per cent followed by Buddhists 40.28 per cent,
Hindus 43.07 per cent respectively. It can be depicted from the above figure that Muslim women
in Utter Pradesh are educationally backward as compared to the other communities. The gape of
about 52 per cent between the lowest (Muslim) and the highest (Janis) and the gape of about 45
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per cent between the rural and urban area of the lowest and the highest has been the persistent
feature of Muslim community over few decades despite the increase in other facilities during this
period. Numbers of factor which are common are also responsible for Muslim women’s low
literacy rate in Utter Pradesh. It is incorrect to say that the perception of religious conservatism is
a major factor for not accessing educations. The main reason for educational backwardness of
Muslims is abject poverty due to which children especially girls drop out after the first few
classes. Girls are expected to look after their siblings while their mothers go to work. Child
labour is much higher in Muslims as compared to other communities. Only a few good quality
Government schools may be in Muslim areas. The pupil teacher ratio is also high in these
schools. This forces Muslims children to go private schools, if they can afford to, or else to drop
out.
Minister of Women and Child Development (MWCD) says that ‘the uneven distribution
of resources and opportunities such as the higher, technical, and professional educational
institutions are located in the south and the west gets reflected in large inter and intra group
disparities in gender and religion’. But this seems to irrelevant when we scrutinize the literacy
rate of Muslim women belong to Aligarh district of Utter Pradesh having number of Government
and private professional and technical institutions and a reputed Residential Central University
(AMU).
Figure IV Showing the Community Wise Literacy Rate of Women in Aligarh (UP), 2001
The community wise comparison of literacy rate of Muslim women in Aligarh as shown
in Figure IV revels that the Jain community have the highest literacy rate 92.43 per cent in total
and also in residence wise (rural 70.87 per cent, urban 94.09 per cent) as compared to other
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communities (census 2001). Women belong to Muslim community possess the lowest literacy
rate in total (35.03 per cent) as well as in residence wise (rural= 25.01 per cent, urban = 40.93
per cent) as compared to other communities. The discrepancy between the highest literacy rate in
total (92.43 per cent) possessed by women belong to the Jain Community and the lowest literacy
rate in total (35.03 per cent) possessed by Women belong to the Muslim community is 57.4 per
cent which is enormously very high. It is known fact that the Muslim community in Utter
Pradesh is Poor. The illiterate and poor parents cannot afford tuition for their children; nor can
they provide the necessary support system at home which has become so essential a part of
today’s educational system. Exclusive girls’ schools may be fewer, and are usually at a distance
from Muslim localities and without hostile facilities. The other factor may be Muslims do not see
education as necessarily translating into formal employment. The low representation of Muslims
in public or private sector employment and the perception of discrimination in securing salaried
jobs make them attach less importance to formal ‘secular’ education in comparison to other
SRCs.
Suggestions to Improve Literacy Rate of Muslim Women
The present study has made an attempt to generate better understanding of Muslims
women’s present educational positions in utter Pradesh. The study confirms the unequal status of
women in general and Muslim women in particular. The following suggestive measures are
given:
• The state shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of six to
fourteen years (Article 21A).
• Madarsas are the only educational option available to Muslim children, especially in
areas where no schools have reached the Muslim masses. Private minority institutions
and Madarsas are seen as the good option available to the community for improving the
educational status of the Muslim community.
• Modernizing madarsas by the Government has been a very contentious issue with many
different viewpoints amongst the community. Such as (i) science and mathematics
teacher provided under this scheme have not been paid their salaries regularly. Besides
the salaries fixed are low (ii) the help given to madarsas is “on paper alone”, (iii) some
sections of society are against the modernization due to the fear that in the name of
modernization executed through state intervention, madarsas autonomy will be
compromised.
• Madarsas Modernization does not mean only having science, mathematics teachers and
installing computers. Madarsas need to be affiliated to/ recognized by regular education
boards, provision of recurring grants, and provision of employability.
• The Government should take steps towards the preparation of a ‘Plan of Actions’ for
advancement of Muslim women’s education in India for enhancing their participation in
elementary and secondary education and in higher education especially in professional
and technical education.
• Number of social, cultural, educational factors and the failure of existing policies,
programmes and schemes hinder the educational participation of girls and women in
general and those belonging to the educationally backward minorities particular. It calls
for a significant policy shift, in the recognition of the problems and in devising corrective
measures, as well as the allocation of resources.
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•
•
•
•
•
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The most striking piece of information the Sachar Committee gathered in its interaction
in the different states is; while the education system appears to have given up on Muslim
girls, the girls themselves have not given up on education. There is a strong desire and
enthusiasm for education among Muslim women and girls.
Future directions and strategies should be explored for integrating and galvanizing
women of all walks of life for playing their role building and equitable social order and a
society that will women not only formal equality but also a life of dignity.
Considerable efforts should be made to prepare data, develops reports, conduct research
to understand the problems and issues concerning education of girls in India in general
and Muslim Women in girls in particular.
Besides, special committees and commissions on women have been set up from time to
time resulting in policy changes and setting up of institutional structures for
implementing programmes and schemes. The Constitution of India not only grants
equality to women but empowers the State to take special measures for protecting and
advancing their interests in all walks of life and making necessary legal provisions to this
effect.
Finally we can say, the women themselves to make use of the opportunities being
offered.
References
[1] A.S. Tritton. (1957) Materials on Muslim Education in the Middle Ages, Luzac and Co., Ltd., London , p.
140.
[2] Census, 2001
[3] Census, 2011.
[4] Fida Hussain Malik, (1979). Wives of the Prophet, S.H. Muhammad Ashraf, Lahore, Pakistan, p. 47.
[5] Jawad, F.A. (1998). The Rights of Women in Islam An Authentic Approach. Macmillan Press Ltd.
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS and London.
[6] Jawad, H.A (1998). The Rights of Women in Islam, An Authentic Approach. Macmillan Press Ltd,
Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Great Britain.
[7] Nayar Usha,. (2007). An Analytical Study of Education of Muslim Women and Girls in India. Minister of
Women and Child Development. Retrieved from
[8] P.S. Ali. (1975) Status of Women in the Muslim World, Aziz Publication, Lahore, Pakistan, p. 28.
[9] S. Mohammad Ali (2004). The Position of Women in Islam, A Progressive View. State University of New
York Press, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207
[10] Sachar Committee Report (2006). Social, Economic and Educational Status of the Muslim community of
India. Retrieved from
[11] See Bukhari, Vol. 1, pp. 181–2.
[12] The Quran 96: 1
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