Dip in enrolment of Muslim students in higher education in state: Aishe

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The latest report from the All India Survey on Education (Aishe) revealed a dip in the enrolment of Muslim students for higher education in the last year in Karnataka.

The report comprises data from surveys for the last five years and in 2020-2021. The state saw a dip in Muslim students, including the Male and Female stands at 1,38,358. As per the report, as many as 75,198 Male students enrolled last year, while the count for Female students was 69,313. However, the number this year stands at 72,487 and 65,871 respectively. The state recorded the worst decline in 2016-17 where only 1,12,678 students enrolled.

The dismal picture eroded in the years 2017-18 and 2018-19 when the number of students enrolled rose to 1,19,467 and 1,25,536 respectively. Before the pandemic, the number for 2019-2020 stood at its highest with 1,44,511 students enrolled. However, it was short-lived as the number declined for 2020-2021.

Academicians attribute the decline to the aftermath of the Covid pandemic, which disrupted the economy of the minorities, forcing the students to stop pursuing their higher education for other possible reasons. The number of enrolments also declined in Jammu & Kashmir, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi. In UP, this topped the list in the country, and the number of enrolment of Muslim students stands at 4.5 per cent. Kerala, however, recorded the highest enrolment of Muslim students in the country with a total percentage of 43.

The report of the other minority communities in Karnataka also saw a slight dip compared to last year despite showing an increase in enrolment in the last five years. Female Muslim students in Karnataka enrolled in greater numbers compared to Males in the last five years. Muslims account for 12.91 per cent of Karnataka. With 4,233, Karnataka stands third with most colleges in the country at 62 colleges per lakh population.