Muslims have inadequate access to bank credit despite the fact that self-employment is their main sources of income. To empower them economically, it is necessary to support self-employed persons by ensuring a smooth flow of credit to them, the report says.The report also says that the number of Muslims in security agencies is only 3.2 per cent (60,517 out of total 18,79,134 personnel) in the CRPF, the CISF, the BSF, the SSB and “other agencies”. However, the report does not specify whether armed forces were included in these figures or not. Muslims’ headcount in the armed forces sought by the panel had triggered a controversy in Parliament sometime ago.
The report points out that only 4.9 per cent of the total government employees were Muslims, indicating that all was not well for the 150 million population in the country.
Among the IAS, IFS and IPS officers, only 3, 1.8 and 4 per cent, respectively, were Muslims. Muslims who have secured high-level appointments could do it mostly as “promoted candidates”; their share as direct recruits through competitive examinations was low at 2.4 per cent for IAS, 1.9 per cent for IFS and 2.3 per cent for IPS.
“In judiciary, the recruitment procedures are considered quite fair. Yet, the presence and participation of Muslims in the judiciary has been a major point of concern,” the report says.
Muslims’ representation in the judiciary is around 7.8 per cent, while OBCs constitute about 23 per cent and SCs/STs around 20 per cent.
The Hindu general category is over-represented in the judiciary with almost twice their share in the population and constituting nearly one half of all those employed in the judiciary. The presence of Muslims, relatively more at lower level, is yet not commensurate with their share in the population. The presence of Muslims at higher-level position such as sessions judges and so on is nominal, it says.
“While proportionate representation in different segments of government is not being suggested, there is a need to ensure a significant presence, especially in those departments of government that have mass contact on a day-to-day basis or are involved in sensitive tasks,” the report observes.
Very small proportions of government and public sector employees are Muslims and on average, they are concentrated in lower-level positions. “While no discrimination is being alleged, it may be desirable to have minority person on relevant interview panels. This can be done on the lines of SC/ST participation in panels,” the report adds.
According to the report, Muslims rank somewhat above SCs/STs, but below Hindu-OBCs, other minorities and Hindu general category candidates in almost all indicators considered.
The report says Muslims with traditional occupations as that of Scheduled Castes be designated as the most backward classes (MBCs) and provided “multifarious measures”, including reservation. Muslims in the country have three groups in terms of their social structure. These are Ashrafs, Ajlafs and Arzals.
Of the three groups, Arzals, whose traditional occupation is similar to that of SCs, may be designated as MBCs and provided reservation. This particular group, the report says, needs multifarious measures, including reservation, as it remains “cumulatively oppressed”.
