The representation of Muslims in the top Medical colleges is about 4%. In the data made available by 129 universities (out of around 300 universities) and 84 colleges out of over 83000 colleges), the Committee found that Muslim students in the undergraduate courses are about 9% significantly below those of both the SC/STs and the OBCs. The participation of Muslims in engineering and medical courses is particularly low. The status of Muslims in post graduate courses is one out of twenty students, below the share of OBCs (24%), SCs and STs (13%). The proportion of graduates in the population aged 20 years and above was significantly lower for the Muslims as compared to other socio-religious communities. The Committee finds (p.74) that economic status has a very large, positive and significant impact on graduate attainment rates. The share of Muslims is the poorest in streams having brightest employment prospects is of special concern. The Sachhar Committee says: “Admittedly, policies of affirmative action needed to be fine-tuned to take into account the ‘deficits’ faced by poor and non-poor Muslims in higher education”. (p. 74). It also says: “Relative deprivation in education of Muslims vis-à-vis other socio-religious communities calls for a significant shift in the policy of the State, along with the creation of effective partnership with private and voluntary sectors”. (p. 84).

The Gopal Singh Committee found areas of target groups worst hit. It says, on page 11, para 35(i), that “(T)hey developed a certain complex and aloofness…. Depressed and dejected, they have developed a certain fatalistic outlook and feel that nothing can be done to improve their lot….” The cause of educational backwardness in the eyes of this Committee (page 25, para 60) is Muslims’ poverty. Quite large percentage of them is poor illiterate who continue to practice their old professions. It says on page 8, para 14 that “… lack of education is the single most important constraint in the way of the people due to which they can’t avail of benefits from the economic policies of Governments”.

The following data, prepared by the PCMB, Hyderabad, A.P., last year is very informative about the lack of capacity building among the Muslims all over the country to overcome their backwardness in the field of education. In fact, it shows a very tragic situation. Out of total 240 medical colleges all over the country, only 36 colleges exist in five states—West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar and Assam where bulk of the Muslim population of India live. Out of these 36 colleges, 21 are private and the rest built by government. Out of these 21 private medical colleges, only 1 is owned by the Muslim community that too is in UP. On the other hand, the state of Maharashtra has total 38 medical colleges, half of them are private. None of them belong to the Muslim community. The other aspect of the data shows that out of 127 private medical colleges all over the country, only 7 of them belong to the Muslim community.