BOOK REVIEW
Levels of Education and Exposure to Media among Muslim
Women in India
Review By Maqbool Ahmed Siraj
Published by Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, Mumbai Education
and media are two tools of awareness and modernisation. One’s ability to
absorb and imbibe changes is directly proportional to one’s level of education
and exposure to media. Muslim women could be the agents of change in the
society and can play the most important role in uplifting the socio-economic
status of the society, given their level of awareness. However, the decennial
Census held by the Government of India has been silent on the religion-wise
data. Dr. Malika B. Mistry, Pune-based demographer, has compiled state-wise
data on the level of education of Muslim women and exposure to media on
the basis of National Family Health Survey carried out by the Ministry
of Health and Family Welfare in 1992-93. (The Islamic Voice had
carried two articles by Dr. Mistry in its previous issues.) The survey
has covered nearly 90,000 women in the reproductive age group of 13-49
years. The sample is representative as all communities have been represented
in their demographic proportion in each state. On all-India basis, 66 per
cent Muslim women are stated to be illiterate. The illiteracy is almost
universal in Haryana while Kerala has least illiteracy among Muslim women,
i.e., 21 per cent closely followed by Tamil Nadu. Muslim women are found
to be more literate than their Hindu counterparts in the states of Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamilnadu. Most of
the northern states are potential targets for literacy campaigns. Comparative
data with Hindu women reveals that even in the states where Muslim women
have higher literacy, levels of education are lower among them. As far
as the radio listening and TV watching are concerned, 28 per cent of the
Muslim women on all-India level are exposed to the two media. Delhi and
Tamilnadu Muslim women top the percentage with almost 66 per cent of viewing
while Assam and Bihar occupy the lowest slot. Significantly, 18 per cent
of Haryana Muslim women watch TV, a pointer to the fact that the medium
could be used for informal education.
The data culled out by Dr. Mistry is expected to serve as a guide for
social workers, educational societies and planners. Prof. Tara Kanitkar
of the International Institute for Population Sciences, Pune, in his foreword,
has pointed towards the urgent need in this direction. (Copies of the Fact
Sheet can be had from Dr. Mistry, 125/1 Prabhat Nagar, Opp. Film and TV
Institute, Pune.)
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Editorial