Editorial

The suggestion, if not move, to set up a separate university for Muslims in Karnataka lacks the sound reasoning that should go into any such mega venture. Politicians often chase fanciful dreams. It may be quite facile to think of a Muslim University in the South or one named after legendary warrior and ruler of Mysore, Tipu Sultan. But if politicians begin to emulate poets, there should be reason for concern. In its very basic formulation, the idea seems to be lacking in sagaciousness and maturity.


If indeed the idea of a university is born out of the pathetic state of literacy among Muslims, there is need to think twice. Universities are meant to promote and regulate higher and professional education. They do not address the grassroots issues like literacy which basically fall under the jurisdiction of Ministry of Education, and executed by the Department of Public Instruction. Or if the idea seems to be stemming from absence of Muslims in key positions in the State, the minister concerned would be better advised to look at the state of Muslim schools rather than declaring the need for a Muslim university.


Karnataka is known to have initiated the lead in setting up engineering, medical and other professional educational colleges in 70s. Its rulers had been liberal in sanctioning these institutions without any discrimination since the beginning. Muslims were no exception. As many as 50,000 BE and 3500 medical seats are up for grab every year. The CET (common entrance test) has set considerably fair yardsticks for selection and admission. A Karnataka student with even 40 per cent marks can dream to be an engineer. Muslims have been provided with four per cent reservation under exclusive quota following a very sound recommendation presented by the State Minorities Commission as early as 1994. Engineering colleges go begging for students. Even in dental, management, physiotherapy, B.Ed colleges, seats, out-number the applicants.


The malady afflicting the Muslim education in Karnataka mainly owes itself to the lack of quality school education of Muslims. In order to save the jobs of 10,000 Urdu (read Muslim) teachers, the community keeps up the refrain of safeguarding Urdu schools. But Urdu medium seriously hampers the education and most kids drop out of these schools. Scarcely has there been effort to improve the quality of coaching, upgrading curriculum, providing hands-on training for these students from the under-privileged section of the community. The teachers are a lethargic lot and inspection is lax. Moreover, Muslim elite and even the middle class have shifted their preference to English medium where competition with other communities ensures better quality of coaching. The Government had sanctioned five Muslim Residential Schools at Srirangapatna, Ramanagram, Gulbarga, Bijapur and Mangalore. Their hunt for quality intake has most often proved futile.


Statistics make it evident that the Muslim quota in the state-funded agriculture universities, law colleges, social sciences and even general stream post-graduate courses remains unclaimed. The community students mainly opt for medicine, engineering and management courses. It is almost a herd like endorsement of a few careers. This has led to a very lopsided professional profile of the community. Career counselling is conspicuous by its absence. Most students are guided by the boom in the ITES or IT-related jobs or the greener pastures in the Gulf.


The community has no programme to provide logistical support for academic excellence. There are few centres to identify talent, let alone groom and polish it. Book banks, lending libraries, hostels, endowments, coaching centres for competitive exams have never been thought off. Much of the religious oriented charities are sucked by the madrasas and provide self-employment opportunities for surplus madrasa graduates from the North Indian cities of Deoband, Lucknow, Saharanpur and Azamgarh.


A judicious scrutiny must precede all such mega ventures. Moreover, university of a backward community is all likely to attract stigma. This would be an unenviable situation for products of any such university. It is advisable to drop the move in view of these adverse factors. However, the concern for quality Muslim education should trigger a host of other initiatives towards ensuring higher standards.