On February 5, 2025, the Centre for Development Policy and Practice (CDPP) released a pivotal report titled "Rethinking Affirmative Action for Muslims in Contemporary India." This report aims to reassess and reform the affirmative action policies and their applicability to the Muslim community within India, highlighting how this important issue has significantly lost its political and policy relevance over recent years.
The authors of this comprehensive study—Hilal Ahmed, Mohd. Sanjeer Alam, and Nazima Parveen—are associated with reputable institutions such as the CDPP and the US-India Policy Institute. Ahmed emphasized the report’s objective, stating, "We wanted to sensitize the policymakers and the political class to start talking about affirmative action for Muslims in contemporary times. This issue has lost policy and political relevance in recent times," highlighting the pressing need for attention and advocacy.
The report recommends several reforms aimed at reinvigorated political engagement with the Muslim community. Chief among them is the proposition to maintain religion-based quotas under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category, already implemented sporadically across various states. The authors argue for the formulation of "rational" and secular sub-categorizations of OBCs, which would bolster the inclusion of marginalized groups, particularly Dalit Muslims and Christians, under the Scheduled Caste (SC) quota, effectively broadening the framework for affirmative action.
One of the most contentious aspects of the current reservation structure is the existing 50% ceiling established by the Supreme Court, which the report insists should be re-evaluated to accommodate new backward communities seeking affirmative action. This proposal reflects the growing acknowledgment of intersecting vulnerabilities faced by various groups within the OBC and SC classifications.
The report makes it clear: "Caste-based exploitation is not exclusively related to Hindus." This statement encapsulates the report’s push for greater inclusivity among social groups and aims to address the demands of the Pasmanda Muslim community, who have long expressed the need for recognition within these policies. The authors underline the pressing socioeconomic challenges Muslims face, noting their concentration at the lower rungs of the occupational ladder. While Muslims as a community fare comparatively well against Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), they lag significantly behind Hindu Forward Castes (HFCs).
To substantiate their claims, the authors provide sobering statistics about educational access. Despite improvements, the report points out, "the social pattern of educational participation remains the same as was observed by the SCR (Sachar Committee report) (2006) more than a decade ago... Muslims have benefited the least from the educational expansion process." This indicates persistent disparities, alarmingly showing how Muslim households are more likely to discontinue education as they age, emphasizing the need for specific sectoral policies targeting the educational achievements of Muslim youth.
The report advocates for what it terms "space-centric affirmative action," focusing on the integrated development of identified socio-economically backward districts, leveraging various programs and schemes at the grassroots level to create impactful changes. This perspective signals a shift from merely resistant policies to more comprehensive developmental strategies for the community.
Analysts and community advocates have welcomed the report, viewing it as not just another academic exercise but as a clarion call for acknowledgment and action on the pressing issues facing Muslims today. The changing dynamics of affirmative action may well dictate the socio-political fabric of India, especially if policymakers heed the recommendations made within this document.
Reaching greater inclusivity within the OBC reservation framework stands to fortify not just the position of Muslims but can also realign the broader social justice discourse, which has been criticized for sidelining minority concerns. By addressing the educational and economic challenges head-on, the report sets the stage for discussions on how to achieve equitable representation for all marginalized communities, including Muslims.
Moving forward, the authors conclude with strong encouragement for policymakers to act decisively: "Whatever economic indicators are considered, Muslims are worse off as compared to Hindu Forward Castes as well as Hindu OBCs." Bridging this socio-economic divide demands policy reform and renewed commitment to ensuring affirmative action constructs do not merely exist on paper but are translated effectively to meet the needs of those they intend to serve.
With football and sports gaining attention across the nation, discussions surrounding affirmative action for marginalized groups like Muslims are more important than ever. The hope is for these conversations to translate to substantial action, ensuring fairness and equity within India's socio-political framework.