This is an archive article published on March 26, 2021
Kerala minority scholarships: Ratio, rationale
While the UDF has not taken any stand, the IUML has asked for a white paper on the distribution of minority scholarships.
Written by Shaju Philip
Thiruvananthapuram | Updated: March 26, 2021 07:46 AM IST
3 min read
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BJP leaders with Archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. (PTI)
As both the LDF and BJP woo the Christian community, which has traditionally voted for the UDF, one of the issues being raised is “discrimination” in distribution of minority student scholarships by the Kerala Directorate of Minority Welfare. The Catholics, who comprise the dominant Christian group, have also taken up the matter, as has the BJP, in its attacks on the UDF for being “pro-Muslim”.
The Directorate offers eight types of student scholarships, amounting to around Rs 14 crore a year. These scholarships stem from the recommendations of the Sachar Committee set up by the UPA government to address backwardness among Muslim community. In 2007, the then Kerala LDF government formed a panel headed by CPM veteran Paloli Muhammed Kutty to make suggestions regarding the report.
The Paloli report
Largely relying on a 2001 National Sample Survey report, the Paloli committee said the Muslim community was substantially behind its Christian counterpart in college enrolment, as well as other communities in socio- economic spheres. Unemploym- ent was found to be 58.2% among Muslims, compared to 37.9% in Christians and 40.2% in Hindus. Based on the findings, the LDF government in 2008 decided on scholarships for Muslims.
In 2011, the government decided that 20% of these scholarships (initially meant for only Muslims) would be given to Latin Christians (mainly the fishermen community in Kerala) and converted Christians. The Christian community is now demanding that instead of this 80:20 ratio, scholarships should be distributed on the basis of the population size (Muslims comprise 26% and Christians 18% of the population).
The BJP was the first to take sides on the issue, by supporting the demand for scholarships factoring in population size. During its recent Vijay Yatra, the party constantly talked of “love jihad” and “the IUML’s dominance of the UDF”.
Quiet on the issue of minority scholarship, LDF has also joined the refrain that the Congress is “controlled” by the IUML. Meanwhile, the LDF recently appointed a panel headed by retired High Court chief justice J B Koshi to study socio-economic condition of Christians in Kerala.
While the UDF has not taken any stand, the IUML has asked for a white paper on the distribution of minority scholarships.
Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India.
Expertise, Experience, and Authority
Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment.
Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes:
Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration.
Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules.
Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More
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