Profiling Muslim : Why is Gujarat board asking students to identify their religion?

Ahmadabad, 25 Nov 2018 [Fik/News Sources]: Gujarat government is using a mandatory Standard 10 and 12 online Board examinations form to single out and identify Muslim students.

Muslim students appearing for their Standard 10 and 12 Board examinations are specifically being asked to identify their religion after they say they belong to the minority category. Shockingly, after a student says yes, the online form categorically asks, “Please select”.

There are only two options provided. First option is ‘Muslim’. And second option is ‘Others’.

This despite, the state being home to at least four other religious communities; Christians, Sikh, Buddhist and Jains. The Gujarat government, it appears, only wants to know if the student is Muslim or not.

The state Board examinations are conducted by the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (GSHSEB). GSHSEB’s chairman, A J Shah said the same form has been in place since 2013. Frantic parents are questioning why the Gujarat government is singling out Muslims and whether the data they are collecting could be misused, as it has been done in the past.

“I am scared. Before 2002, a similar exercise was initiated by the Gujarat government where every police station was asked to identify Muslim businesses in their locality. My restaurant was singled out and burnt. It was revealed that rioters had used the census collected by the government and police. I am scared for my son now. Why is Gujarat government keen to know if the student is Muslim or not. What is the purpose?” said a Muslim restauranteur, whose son is appearing for his 12th Science examinations.

Another parent said, “This left me wondering if the data gathered from online forms could be misused for something else. This has raised fear in me.”Why is Gujarat govt asking Muslim students to identify their religion?

Every year, approximately 17.5 lakh students appear for Board examinations.

Principal of F D School for Girls, Anisa Shaikh, feels that the Board should expand its perspective. The options must have been in this format since the time online system was started, she said, adding, “The forms are usually filled up by clerks in office and we just get printouts filled with all choices. This year is first time that we came to know about it. Is it an effort to gather data of various minorities? In such a case, why have they not offered options for other religious or linguistic minorities as well?”