India recorded a total of 43,268,181 students enrolled in higher education during 2021-22, with 2,108,033 Muslim students making up only 4.87% of the total enrolment.
This marks a decline from the previous years when the enrolment stood at 5.24% in 2019 and 5.5% in 2020, before falling to 4.6% in 2021. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) across the country averages at 24.1, reflecting moderate access to higher education.
Jammu Kashmir, now a Union Territory, stands out for its higher participation rates in higher education, likely due to its Muslim-majority population. Out of 400,423 total students, 138,142 are Muslims, constituting 34.5% of the total enrolment. This reflects the region’s significant Muslim representation in higher education institutions. With a GER of 24.8, the region showcases moderate participation levels.
Ladakh, formerly part of Jammu and Kashmir, follows closely with 4,440 students enrolled in total, of which 1,148 are Muslims, forming 25.8% of the student population. Despite this, Ladakh has the lowest GER in the country at 11.5, highlighting its limited access to higher education.
The AISHE Report 2021-22 (Provisional) underscores disparities in Muslim representation across states and Union Territories. For instance, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have a total enrolment of 11,427 students, with only 609 Muslims, comprising a mere 5.33%. The GER here stands at 22.6.
In Andhra Pradesh, out of 1,929,159 enrolled students, 56,444 are Muslims, accounting for 2.92% of the total. The state has a GER of 36.5, reflecting better access to higher education compared to other states. Arunachal Pradesh, however, reports the lowest representation, with just 107 Muslim students out of 64,890 enrolled, making up only 0.16%. Its GER stands at 36.5.
In Assam, Muslim students make up 12.5% of the total enrolment, with 84,808 Muslim students out of 678,012. Despite this, the state’s GER is only 16.9, indicating significant room for improvement. Bihar also has a notable number of Muslim students—172,681 out of 2,622,946 total enrolments—accounting for 6.58%. The GER in Bihar is 17.1.
Chandigarh and Chhattisgarh reveal concerning trends. While Chandigarh reports a GER of 64.8, Muslim students make up only 0.62% of the total enrolment. Similarly, Chhattisgarh has 5,113 Muslim students out of 656,341, representing just 0.78%, with a GER of 19.6.
In Delhi, Muslim representation is 2.47%, with 28,282 out of 1,145,390 students enrolled. Goa fares slightly better, with 4.72% of Muslim students, yet its GER stands at 35.8. Gujarat has a GER of 24, with 2% of its total student body being Muslim.
Haryana and Himachal Pradesh show stark disparities in representation, with Muslim students forming only 0.99% and 0.41%, respectively. Haryana’s GER stands at 33.3, while Himachal Pradesh has a higher GER of 43.1.
States like Jharkhand, Karnataka, and Kerala reveal varying trends. Jharkhand has 4.34% Muslim enrolment and a GER of 18.6, while Karnataka reports 6.05% Muslim enrolment and a GER of 36.2. Kerala, with 14.36% Muslim representation, leads with a GER of 41.3, reflecting a significant Muslim presence in higher education.
Lakshadweep, a small Union Territory, has full Muslim participation with all 88 students enrolled belonging to the community. However, its GER is just 1.1. States like Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra show modest representation, with Muslims comprising 1.4% and 3.38% of the total student bodies, respectively.
In Manipur, Muslims make up 1.5% of the student population, while Meghalaya reports 2.2%. Mizoram, Nagaland, and Odisha report alarmingly low Muslim representation at 0.28%, 0.49%, and 0.79%, respectively, highlighting significant disparities.
States like Punjab, Rajasthan, and Sikkim also struggle with Muslim representation, ranging between 0.48% and 3.45%. Tamil Nadu, with 3.5% Muslim enrolment, and Telangana, with 7.6%, fare slightly better.
In Uttar Pradesh, Muslims account for 4.68% of the total student body, with 326,819 Muslim students out of nearly 7 million enrolled. West Bengal has one of the highest proportions, with Muslims comprising 12.33% of its higher education enrolment.
The AISHE Report highlights the need for targeted efforts to improve Muslim access to higher education, addressing systemic barriers and ensuring inclusive educational policies.