New Delhi. The Government of India has noted that there is lack of authentic information about the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community of India Which comes in the way of planning, formulating and implementing specific interventions, policies and programmes to address the issues relating to the socio-economic backwardness of this community. Hence, the Prime Minister has constituted a High Level Committee to prepare a comprehensive report covering these aspects. The Committee has the following composition: (1) Justice Rajindar Sachar (2) Shri Saiyid Hamid (3) Dr. T.K. Oommen (4) Shri M.A Basith (5) Dr. Rakesh Basant (6) Dr. Akhtar Majeed (7) Dr. Abu Saleh Shariff Terms of reference: The Committee has to address, inter alia, the following questions: 1. In which States, Regions, Districts and Blocks do Muslims of India mostly live? 2. What is the geographical pattern of their economic activity, i.e. what do they mostly do for a living in various States, Regions and Districts? 3. What are their asset base and income levels relative to other groups across various States and Regions? 4. (A) what is the level of their socio-economic development in terms of relevant indicators such as literacy rate, dropout rate, Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) etc.? (b) How does this compare with other communities in various States? 5.(a) What is the Muslims' relative share in public and private sector employment? (b) Does it vary across States? (c) What is the pattern of such variations? (d) Is the share in employment in proportion to their population in various States? (e) If not, what are the hurdles? 6.(a) What is the proportion of Other Backward Classes (OBCs) from the Muslim community in the total OBC population in various States? (b) Are the Muslim OBCs listed in the comprehensive list of OBCs prepared by the National and State Backward Classes Commissions and adopted by the Central and State Governments for reservation for various purposes? (c) What is the share of Muslim OBCs in the total public sector employment for OBCs in the Centre and various States in various years? 7.(a) Does the Muslim community have adequate access to (i) education (ii) health services (iii) municipal infrastructure (iv) bank credit and (v) other services provided by Government / public sector entities? (b) How does this compare with access enjoyed by other communities in various States? (c) What is the level of social infrastructure [(i) Schools (ii) health centers (iii) Anganwari centres and (iv) other facilities] located in areas of Muslim concentration in comparison to the general level of such infrastructure available in various States? The Committee has to consolidate, collate and analyse the above information to identify areas of intervention by Government to address relevant issues relating to the social, economic and educational status of the Muslim community. In order to supplement its own efforts and in addition to the published data - the High Level Committee invites from the general public (specially women organizations) information on the above mentioned issues. Please send one signed hard copy of your response to us by post and also e-mail it to us. Kindly do write your (a) full name (b) postal address (c) e-mail address (d) phone number (e) detailed description of the source of the information contained in your answer. Enclose photocopy (certified by yourself) of the original source (i.e. document in support of what you write). Answers may kindly be sent to us within one month of the publication of this invitation. The Committee shall be grateful to you for your cooperation.