Awareness Related Causes of Educational Backwardness of Muslim Women in West Bengal

Muslim women comprise about 12.16% of the state population and 48.24% to the total Muslim population in West Bengal. They can never be neglected in any sphere of life. But, most of them remain educationally, socially, politically and culturally backward. The identified awareness related causes such as less importance on education, unaware about the International laws about the position of women in Islamic societies, their freedom of action, travelling alone, uncovering their face, and the same inheritance rights; the Right to Education Act. Mahila Samikhya Programme, Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya Scheme, National Programme for Education of Girls at Elementary Level, 10% reserved seats for minorities in education in Govt./Non-Govt. Sectors, Kanyashree Scheme, the stipend and financial help for Muslim girls in higher education, the special opportunity and benefit for education of only single daughter of Central Government workers etc. played an important role for their educational backwardness. A survey has been carried out to find out the opinions of Muslim women towards this awareness related causes of educational backwardness of Muslim women in West Bengal. The paper also presents the various ways for removing awareness related barriers for improvement of Muslim women education in West Bengal.