Source: Khabarsoutheastasia

Better education and a less conservative mindset may be contributing to a higher quality of life for Muslims in India’s southern provinces compared to those in the north, sources told Khabar South Asia.

“Southern Muslim organisations have long promoted the role education plays in climbing the social and economic ladder,” Mohammad Manzoor Alam, chairperson of the Delhi-based think tank Institute of Objective Studies, told Khabar.

At the same time, he said, the relative peace and communal harmony in the southern states – including Andhra Pradesh, Karntaka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu — has helped Muslims flourish.

“In Kerala, the literacy rate for both sexes amongst Muslims is 100%,” he said.

While the Indian Muslim community in general continues to face significant hurdles, data from the 2006 Justice Rajinder Sachar Committee Report showed that the disadvantages are far more pronounced in the north. The literacy rate of northern Muslims is only 61.66% compared to 83.6% among southern Muslims. Northern school enrolment of children ages 6-to-14 is 70.8% compared to 90.66% of southern school children.

The report was a groundbreaking study commissioned by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in an effort to collect concrete data about the challenges facing Muslims across India.

Social worker Maqbool Ahmed Siraj, a native of Bangalore, says he believes conservative religious views are helping to fuel the disparity by limiting the educational and career prospects for young people.

“I see a distinct dislike among boys for veterinary courses and among girls opting for nursing,” Siraj said. “There is a fear that a veterinary course would have [pigs to treat or handle] and nursing would entail [girls] attending to male patients.”

Editors note: India is diverse and so are it’s Muslims. Inshallah more light can be shed on Muslims from it’s East, West and North-East region too. So that people can learn from each others experience.

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