India Brief ADGC en-US 11-22-11 Mh

7/29/2019 India Brief ADGC en-US 11-22-11 Mh

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MUSLIMS IN INDIA: Condent in Democracy

Despite Economic and Educational ChallengesIndias largest religious minority is suering and acing economic and educationaldifculties. Still, Muslims in India are akin to other Indians in terms o how theyview the countrys democracy.

November 2011


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Gallup and Te Gallup Poll are trademarks o Gallup, Inc. All other trademarks are property o their respective owners.Copyright 2011 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.

MUSLIMS IN INDIA: Condent in Democracy

Despite Economic and Educational ChallengesIndias largest religious minority is suering and acing economic and educationaldifculties. Still, Muslims in India are akin to other Indians in terms o how theyview the countrys democracy.

November 2011

Muslim Indians are more likely than the countrys Hindus and members o all other

religions including those who dont belong to a religious group to be suering.One-third (32%) o the countrys Muslims are suering. Gallup classies respondents

as thriving, struggling, or suering according to how they rate their current and

uture lives on a ladder scale with steps numbered rom 0 to 10 based on the Cantril

Sel-Anchoring Striving Scale. People who rate their current lie situation and their lie

in ve years a 4 or less are considered suering. Hindus (23%) and members o Indias

various other religious sects (15%) are less likely to be suering.

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

All othersHindusMuslims

Please imagine a ladder with steps numbered from 0 at the bottom to 10 at the top. Suppose we

say that the top of the ladder represents the best possible life for you, and the bottom of theladder represents the worst possible life for you. (Read A-B)A. On which step of the ladder would you say you personally feel you stand at this time, assumingthat the higher the step the better you feel about your life, and the lower the step the worse youfeel about it? Which step comes closest to the way you feel?B. Just your best guess, on which step do you think you will stand in the future, say about fiveyears from now?

Muslim Indians Most Likely to Be Categorized as Suffering

ThrivingStrugglingSuffering

62%

6% 11% 15%

15%23%

32%

66%70%


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Copyright 2011 Gallup, Inc. All rights reserved.

2

Muslims in India: Confdent in Democracy Despite Economic and Educational Challenges

Te ndings in this report are based on nationally representative studies conducted in2010 and 2011 with a total o 9,518 Indians, including 1,197 Muslim Indians.

Te roughly 1.3 billion people who make India the worlds second most populous

country live in a diverse land. Hindi is the ocial state language o the nearly two dozen

languages ocially recognized, but it is the primary language o less than hal o Indias

residents. Te state, secular by mandate o its constitution, oers no ocial state religion,

but 80% o Indias population is Hindu.

Muslims represent Indias largest religious minority group at nearly 13% o the country s

population. In a country with such a large populace, though, that minority translates to

more than 140 million residents meaning India has more Muslims than any other

country in the world except or Indonesia and Pakistan. And this minority group is

growing. Te 2001 census ound the Muslim population in India had increased almost

200% in 40 years, rom 1961 to 2001. While the rest o the countrys populace grew, it

did so at a slower rate (134% or all o India during the same our decades, including

Muslim Indians). Te annual growth rate or the Muslim population during that time

was 2.7%, higher than the national average o 2.1%. Gallup data show that Muslims in

India are more likely than Hindus and members o other religions to have three or more

children under the age o 15 at home.

How many children under 15 years of age are now living in your household?

Muslims Are the Most Likely to Have Three or More Children Livingat Home

20% 23%

10%

24%25%29%

17%

7%

39%

52%

16%

31%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

3 or more children2 children1 childNone


Economic,

Educational

Problems of a

Growing Minority


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Tis growing minority o Muslim Indians are more economically disadvantaged anddissatised than Indians o other religious groups. Muslims are more likely than the

Indian population overall to live below the poverty line, 31% compared with 26%,

according to the National Council o Applied Economic Research in India. Gallup

data show that the countrys Muslims (51%) are less likely than Hindus (63%) or others

(66%) to be satised with their standard o living. Similarly, Muslims (65%) are more

likely than Hindus (53%) and others (51%) to say their standard o living is staying the

same or getting worse.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

All othersHindusMuslims0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with your standard

of living, all the things you can buy and do?

Right now, do you feel your standard of living

is getting better or getting worse?

Muslims Least Satisfied With Standard of Living, Least Likely to Say

its Getting Better

34%

51%

14%

45% 49%

45%

8%

49%

2%

51%

37%

63%66%

34%

49%

DissatisfiedSatisfied Staying thesame

Gettingbetter

Gettingworse

Household income is a particular disadvantage or Muslims in India. Muslims (47%)

are more likely to say they nd it dicult or very dicult living on their present

household income than Hindus (39%) and members o other religions (24%). Muslims

(23%) are also slightly more inclined than Hindus (18%) and others (12%) to say there

were times in the past year when they did not have enough money to buy the ood that

they or their amilies needed.


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0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

All others

Hindus

Muslims

Which one of these phrases comes closest to your own feelings about your household's income

these days?

Living comfortably on present income

Getting by on present income

Finding it difficult on present income

Finding it very difficult on present income

On Present Income, Muslims Least Likely to Be Living Comfortably,Most Likely to Be Finding it Very Difficult

53%

27%

44% 13%26%

19% 5%

20%

22%

10% 41%

16%

Finding it difficult on present income Finding it very difficult on present income

Getting by on present incomeLiving comfortably on present income

Abject poverty is partially to blame or low levels o education among Muslim Indians,

according to a 2006 report titled Social, Economic and Educational Status o MuslimCommunity o India, chaired by Justice Rajindar Sachar and produced or Indian

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Te report calls education a grave concern or

the countrys Muslim community not only the lower levels o education received,

but the low quality o such education. Educational attainment is not particularly high

throughout India, but Muslim Indians (88%) are slightly more likely than Hindus (84%)

to list their level o education as elementary or less; all other Indians (72%) are distinctly

ahead on this measure.


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0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%


What is your highest completed level of education?

Muslim Indians Lag Slightly in Educational Attainment

Secondary education or higherElementary education or less

72%

84%88%

12% 16%28%

Te report cites poor access to schools in predominantly Muslim areas o India, and

high pupil-teacher ratios in the schools that are present. But in Gallups 2011 survey,

Muslim Indians (74%) are as satised as Hindus (74%) and other Indians (76%) with

the educational system or schools in their areas. Indians overall were more satised with

their local schools in 2011 than in 2010.

In the city or area where you live, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the educational system or

the schools?

No Difference by Religion in Satisfaction With Schools

74% 76%74%

66% 66%65%

0%

10%

20%

30%40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

20112010



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India has implemented nationwide improvements to elementary schools, as outlined ina 2010 District Inormation System or Education (DISE) report, in the years since the

Sachar report. Te DISE report details an increase in the number o elementary schools

throughout the country, improvements made to school acilities (basic improvements

such as drinking water, toilets, and cooking acilities), the decreased number o students

per classroom, and more computers to schools. According to the report, enrollment at

the primary and upper-primary levels has increased, including an increase in the number

o Muslim students enrolled in primary and upper-primary schools.

Tere is a clear divide, though, in satisaction with education among urban and rural

Muslims and Hindus. Tose in urban areas o India (83% o Muslims, 87% o Hindus)

are more likely than those in rural parts (68% o Muslims and Hindus) to say they aresatised with the educational systems or schools in their areas. Indians in urban areas

are more likely to have higher levels o education than those in rural areas, regardless o

religious aliation.

Muslim Indians are more likely than the other religious groups to be suering that

is to be highly negative about their current lie situation and their expectations or

their lie situation in ve years. Majorities o Muslims (62%), Hindus (66%), and other

Indians (70%) are struggling, giving more middle-o-the-road answers when asked to

rate their current lie and their lie as they anticipate it will be in ve years. Tose Indians

classied at the high end o the lie evaluation scale as thriving make the smallest

group, including 6% o Muslims, 11% o Hindus, and 15% o all others.

Gallup also asks Indians to rate their levels o experience relative to several eelings and

emotions one day beore they took the survey. Muslim Indians are worse than Hindus

and other Indians in nearly all o these measures.

Muslims (70%) are less likely than Hindus (75%) and other Indians (84%) to say they

elt treated with respect during the entire day beore the survey. Muslims are also less

likely than both groups to say that they elt well-rested, that they smiled or laughed a

lot, or that they learned or did something interesting that day.

Muslim Indians

More Likely

to Suffer in

Wellbeing


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0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Learned or didsomething interesting

Smiled orlaughed a lot

Feltwell-rested

Treated withrespect all day

Now, please think about yesterday, from the morning until the end of the day. Think about where

you were, what you were doing, who you were with, and how you felt.

A. Did you feel well-rested yesterday?; B. Were you treated with respect all day yesterday?;

C. Did you smile or laugh a lot yesterday?; D. Did you learn or do something interesting yesterday?

Positive Experiences Are Less Common Among Muslims

70%

48%

77%

55%

64%

16%22%

38%

75%

84%

61%

70%


Emotionally, Muslims are less likely than Hindus or other Indians to say they elt

happiness and enjoyment during a lot o the day beore the survey. Conversely, Muslim

Indians are more likely than Hindus to say they experienced stress and worry the daybeore the survey.


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0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

SadnessAngerWorryStressEnjoymentHappiness

Did you experience the following feelings during A LOT OF THE DAY yesterday? How about

A. Enjoyment; C. Worry; D. Sadness; E. Stress; F. Anger; G. Happiness

Muslims Less Likely to Have Felt Positive Emotions Than OtherReligious Groups

67%

37%

70%

31%29%

33%

27%

33%

23%24%

17%19%18%

15%

73%77%

58%62%


While there are socioeconomic dierences that set Muslims apart rom Hindus and

other religious groups in India, the various actions agree on many topics. Muslims, or

example, are as likely as Hindus to say they are satised with the reedom they have to

do what they want in their lives. Tey share with Hindus and other Indians a belie inthe idea that people in the country can get ahead in lie i they work hard. Te value

Muslims place on opportunity is no less than that o Hindus or other Indians.

Similarities also exist when considering Muslims opinions about many topics relevant to

Indias national institutions and identity. India has a careully built pluralist democracy

where no one identity or principle is dominant, and Muslims are as exuberant about

the tenets o democracy as Hindus or other Indians. Specically, Muslim Indians are as

likely as Hindus to agree with the principles o reedom o speech, reedom o religion,

and reedom o assembly.

Muslims Agree

With Hindus,

Others on

Democracy andWomens Rights


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0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Freedom of assemblyFreedom of religionFreedom of speech

Suppose that someday you were asked to help draft a new constitution for a new country. As I

read you a list of possible provisions that might be included in a new constitution, would you tell

me whether you would probably agree or not agree with the inclusion of each of these provisions?

A. Freedom of speech - allowing all citizens to express their opinion on the political, social, and

economic issues of the day; B. Freedom of religion - allowing all citizens to observe any religion of

their choice and to practice its teachings and beliefs; C. Freedom of assembly - allowing all

citizens to assemble or congregate for any reason or in support of any cause

Muslims Are Equally as Enthusiastic About the Tenets of Democracy

82% 81% 81% 83% 83%90%90%

79%

89%


Te Sachar report indicates that Muslims struggle against the perception that they are

anti-national, however Gallup data show that Muslims are about as condent in thecountrys national institutions save or the judicial system as any other religious

group. Muslims are as likely as Hindus and others to be condent in the nations military.

Muslims and Hindus share similar condence in the countrys nancial institutions and

in the honesty o the countrys elections. While Hindus are more likely than Muslims

to be condent in the nations government, all Indians are equally as likely to say they

approve o the job perormance o the countrys leadership (42% o Muslims, 47% o

Hindus, and 39% o all others). Muslims (79%) and Hindus (80%) are equally as likely

to perceive corruption in government as being widespread.


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0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Honesty ofelections

Nationalgovernment

Judicialsystem

Financialinstitutions

Military

In India, do you have confidence in each of the following, or not? How aboutA. The military; B. Judicial system and courts; C. National government; D. Financial institutions orbanks; E. Religious organizations (churches, mosques, temples, etc.); F. Honesty of elections

Except for Judicial System, Muslims Are as Confident in NationalInstitutions

76%

92%

68%75%

91%

49%

60%

51% 48%51%

35%

92%95%

72%

90%


Muslim Indians are less condent than Hindus in the countrys judicial system. Tis

could be due to the comparably large percentage o Muslims in Indian jails. In some

states, the percentage o Muslims in jail is greater than the percentage o Muslims livingin the state. However, condence in the local police is the same regardless o religion.

Muslims are also as supportive as Hindus and other Indians o womens rights. Tey

are as likely as Hindus and others to agree that residents should have equal access to

education, regardless o gender, and that women and men should have equal legal rights.

Muslim Indians are also nearly as likely as other Indians to agree that women should be

able to hold any job or which they are qualied outside the home 90% o Indians

overall agree this should be the case.


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0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Women should be

allowed to hold

any job for which they

are qualified

outside the home

Women and men

should have

equal legal rights

Equal access to

education, regardless

of gender

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Boys and girls in India should have equal

access to the same level of education.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statements?

A. Women and men should have equal legal rights.

B. Women should be allowed to hold any job for which they are qualified outside the home.

Womens Rights Are Widely Accepted by All

94% 93%97%

86%90%

98%

81%

88%85%


Improving the wellbeing o Muslims in India begins with changing their educational

and economic utures. States throughout the country must take measures to improve the

lives and livelihoods o their Muslim populations. Some are already taking steps toward

success, typically in the south o India. Some states, though, are ar more disadvantaged,

such as West Bengal, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Assam.

Improve Muslim educational attainment. Education is essential to liting a population

out o poverty. Te country needs an educated workorce to ll the skilled jobs created

as Indias economy grows. Because Muslim Indians are at an educational disadvantage

in a country where achieved levels o education are generally low, it is important states

tailor eorts to improve the opportunities and access to education or their Muslimcommunities. According to the Sachar report, this includes:

Creating high-quality, government schools in all areas o Muslim concentrations

Opening schools that are exclusively or girls, particularly or grades 9 through 12

In co-educational schools, hiring more emale teachers

Recommendations


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Make primary education available in Urdu, as this is the mother languageo many Muslims and education in ones native tongue is constitutionally

mandated in India

Gallup data support the need or oering more ocused educational options or Muslim

Indian women. O Muslim women, 91% say they have an elementary education or

less and 88% o Hindu women say the same. Tese percentages are greater than or

Muslim and Hindu men, and or other men and women in India. Increased educational

attainment or women has the additional benets o reducing the ertility rate, thereby

increasing opportunities or economic development, mitigating health risks or women

and children, and improving quality o lie, particularly or women.

As or language options in local schools, many Muslims oten ace harassment and

ridicule in school related to their Urdu language; ew schools in India accommodate an

education provided in this language. Rising religious tensions can lead to children being

alienated rom school.

Improve Muslims economic situations through job skills training. India is creating

jobs. A recent study by Ma Foi Randstad ound the country created 500,000 jobs in

the rst six months o 2010. In 2011, Indian Commerce Minister Anand Sharma

announced the National Manuacturing Policy, which the government hopes will shit

the economy to a manuacturing ocus and create new jobs or the 100 million young

people who will join the workorce in the next 15 years. Skilled workers must ll thesejobs, making educational attainment and vocational training crucial to Indians ability to

qualiy or and perorm these jobs. Muslim Indians must increase their level o education

to be considered or what the country plans to be an increase o thousands o jobs in

skilled sectors.

Take advantage of opinions shared by Muslims and others to improve communal

harmony. Gallup data nd plenty o agreement among Muslims and others on a

number o issues important to the strength o India as a nation. o lessen the perceived

divide between Muslims and other Indians, leaders at the state and country level must

secure reliable, regular data to measure these opinions, share the inormation gleaned

rom such research, and use it to oster a more cohesive populace.

Gallup is entirely responsible or the management, design, and control o this study. For

the past 70 years, Gallup has been committed to the principle that accurately collecting

and disseminating the opinions and aspirations o people around the globe is vital to

understanding our world. Gallups mission is to provide inormation in an objective,

Survey Methods


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reliable, and scientically grounded manner. Gallup is not associated with any politicalorientation, party, or advocacy group and does not accept partisan entities as clients.

Results are based on ace-to-ace interviews in India with 6,000 adults in 2010 and

3,518 adults in 2011. Surveys were conducted May 1-June 17, 2010 and April 11-June

16, 2011.

For results based on the total sample o adults, one can say with 95% condence that the

maximum margin o sampling error or the total population is 2.0 percentage points.

Te margin o error refects the infuence o data weighting. In addition to sampling

error, question wording and practical diculties in conducting surveys can introduce

error or bias into the ndings o public opinion polls.

Te Abu Dhabi Gallup Center is a Gallup research hub based in the capital o the

United Arab Emirates. It is the product o a partnership between Gallup, the worlds

leading public opinion research rm, and the Crown Prince Court o Abu Dhabi.

Building on Gallups seminal work in the eld o Muslim studies, the Abu Dhabi

Gallup Center (ADGC) oers unmatched research on the attitudes and aspirations o

Muslims around the world. In addition to its worldwide scope, the ADGC ocuses on

the specic priorities o its regional base and presents innovative analysis and insights on

the most important societal challenges acing the United Arab Emirates and the Gul

Cooperation Council (GCC).

WWW.ABUDHABIGALLUPCENTER.COM

Abu Dhabi

Gallup Center

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India Brief ADGC en-US 11-22-11 Mh