Prime Minister's High Level Committee
For Preparation of Report on Social, Economic and Educational Status
of the Muslim Community of India prepared its report in November 2006
and tabled in Parliament on 30 Nov 2006. The chairperson of the
Committee was Justice Rajindar Sachar.
Read Sachar Committee Report on Social, Economic and Educational
Status of the Muslim Community of India (6.5 MB / PDF fThe report of
the High Level Committee on the social, economic and educational
status of the Muslim community of India, chaired by Justice Rajindar
Sachar, has been tabled in the Parliament. According to reports, the
Sachar Committee has found that the Muslim community is lagging behind
other religious groups of India in most development indicators. The
community is relatively poor, more illiterate, has lower access to
education, lower representation in public and private sector jobs, and
lower availability of bank credit for self-employment. In urban areas,
the community mostly lives in slums characterized by poor municipal
infrastructure. "In fact, by and large, Muslims rank somewhat above
SCs/STs but below Hindu OBC.s, other minorities and Hindu general
(mostly upper) castes in all indicators considered", the Report
states. However, there is considerable variation in the condition of
the Muslim community across states and regions.
The Sanchar report may also give opportunity to the Muslims for
collective bargaining, especially when the order of the day is "you
remain back ward, so that you get all the sympathy and benefits,
through various means", instead of attempting for sweeping social
reforms. I won't be surprised if a Constitutional Amendment is brought
in, to effect reservation on religious lines (vote bank politics), in
a country, which is a shining example of communal harmony, diversity &
equal opportunity with a Muslim President, a Sikh P.M, a
Hindu-Christian heading the ruling party and a dalit Supreme Court
Chief Justice!