In a significant development after the tabling of the Sachar report, Muslim MPs, cutting across party lines, today handed over a wishlist of sorts to Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh: IITs and IIMs exclusively for Muslims, 5,000 schools, 2 lakh scholarships and more campuses of the Aligarh Muslim University across the country.

The wishlist came from some 10 Muslim MPs who were called for an interaction at the Indian Islamic Cultural Centre in the Capital. The meeting was also attended by HRD Minister of State Mohd Ali Ashraf Fatmi and senior officials. Sources pointed out that despite the low turnout of Muslim MPs — only 10 out of 50-plus showed up — there was active participation.

Fatmi, who heads the HRD Ministry’s high-level committee on Muslim education, told The Indian Express: “There was frank discussion with the MPs, ranging from primary to higher education. They came up with interesting ideas.” Sources said the MPs asked for setting up 2,000 Kendriya Vidyalayas (Central Schools) exclusively for Muslim children, of which 1,000 should be for boys and another 1,000 for girls.

Since Muslim girls have a poor track record in primary education, the MPs demanded 3,000 residential schools for Muslim girls on the lines of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas. They asked for setting up of four campuses each of Aligarh Muslim University and Maulana Azad National Urdu University across the country and scholarships for 2 lakh Muslim students, especially in higher education, so that needy students can study.

A senior HRD official, present at the meeting, said, “The MPs said since IITs and IIMs have less than 2 per cent of Muslim students, the HRD Ministry should create IITs and IIMs exclusively for Muslim children.” Urdu schools, they also demanded, should be given adequate infrastructure support. “Minority-run societies and NGOs, if they wish to open schools, should be given CBSE affiliation without any delay,” an MP demanded. The MPs said that these suggestions should get reflected in the forthcoming budget as well as the Eleventh Plan. The HRD Ministry panel on Muslim education is expected to submit a report by January 31.