NOUS Network Research Report

Muslim-Managed Higher Education in India

The first study to count the colleges and universities Muslims have built, where they are, and who they reach.

📅 Published May 2024🏛 1,155 Colleges · 23 Universities🎓 NOUS Network · CSR Delhi

About this Report

This report was researched by NOUS Network with the Centre for Study and Research (CSR), Delhi. It maps higher education institutions founded or managed by Muslims across India, using AICTE, AISHE and NCMEI data. CSAS supports NOUS Network and shares this report in support of its work on Indian Muslim education.

By the Numbers

1,155

Muslim-managed colleges identified

2.6%

of all colleges in India

6.32%

of these colleges offer M.Phil. or PhD

Muslims are 14% of India's population, but only 4.8% of higher education students

Share of population14%

Share of higher education enrolment4.8%

For comparison, SC students are 15.3% and ST students 6.3% of enrolment. Source: AISHE 2021-22, as cited in the report.

Watch the summary

The report's findings, explained on the NOUS Network YouTube channel.

Key Findings

🏛

Very few institutions

Only 2.6% of colleges and 2.1% of universities in India are Muslim-managed.

🔧

A gap in technical education

Muslim-managed colleges are 16.6% of minority-run technical colleges: 141 against 710 for all other minority groups combined.

🗺

Access depends on the state

Colleges per lakh youth aged 18-23 range from 24.9 in Kerala to 1.8 in West Bengal. The national average is 6.4.

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Small and private

62.8% of colleges enrol 500 students or fewer. 83.1% are private (unaided) and 57.8% are in rural areas.

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The ladder narrows

90.6% of Muslim students are in undergraduate programmes. PhD enrolment is just 0.17%.

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Slow, steady growth

From 17 colleges in 1947 to 1,155 today, a growth rate of 2.8% a year. Growth was slowest in 2011-2020.

How to use these findings

The report calls for targeted action from policymakers, educators and the community.

Policymakers

Use the state-wise gaps to decide where access to higher education is thinnest and where new seats are needed most.

Educators and institutions

Most colleges stop at undergraduate level. Postgraduate and research programmes are the clearest gap to close.

Community and funders

Small, single-programme colleges need support to grow. CSAS Ta'leem works on capacity building for Indian Muslim education partners.

About the study

Title

Empowerment through Education: A Comprehensive Analysis of Muslim-Managed Higher Education Institutions in India

Author

Abid Faheem, NOUS Network (published 22 May 2024)

Fieldwork

January to June 2023

Data sources

AICTE (2022-23), AISHE (2020-21), the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI) database, and Muslim education society groups

Supported by

Centre for Study and Research (CSR), Delhi, and NOUS Network, Delhi

Suggested citation

Faheem, A. (2024). Empowerment through Education: A Comprehensive Analysis of Muslim-Managed Higher Education Institutions in India. NOUS Network.

Access the Report

Full study by NOUS Network. PDF, 19 MB.

⬇ Download PDF Read Online

Research by NOUS Network. Shared by CSAS in support of its work on Indian Muslim education. All figures are from the original study.