Indian Muslim Women and Education-Status, Issues and Remedies

Abstract

Considering Indian situation,women in India enjoyspecial status.Post Independent India made several attemptsto raise level of education in general and for the women in particulars it was considered to be instrumental to bring overall development, i.e. social, economic, cultural and political development, of the society. Many commissions and committees were set up to improve the status of women educationduring Post Independence in India.Many positive steps were taken by the state to enhance the participation of women at all levels of education. Constitutional provisions also guaranteed the education of girls and made special provisions for the state to require appropriate and social action for his or her education. However it seems that the Muslim women in India haven't taken full advantage of the advantages of such schemesand provisions. Muslims in India are the largest minority comprising14% of the total population of the countryand the literacy rate of Muslims is the lowest among all the religious groups and the literacy rate of Muslim women is less than their counterparts and therefore the worse among all the ladies groups within the country.In most fields of education the condition of Muslim women is deplorable and may be a subject of grave concern for the oldsters , Muslim intellects, educationists and therefore the policy makers because the development of the state might not be achieved ignoring education of such large section of the society. Hence, thepresent paper will examine the issues involved in Muslim women education, approach of the state and the religious intellect and the role ofNon-Government Organisations(NGOs). The paper will also suggest the measures to overcome such a plight so that thewomen may shoulder educational, economic and political responsibilities with their counterparts in an equal manner.