Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Thursday (June 2, 2011) said that the educational backwardness of Muslims was a major challenge before the community. Addressing a seminar 'Challenges before minorities' organised by channel ETV (Urdu), the chief minister said: "It will be better if Muslims concentrate on the education of their children ... Then they will be able to solve their problems on their own."

He said that a recent survey revealed that out of the 4 percent children who are away from schools most of them come from Mahadalit and Muslim families. "The government has opened Uthan (uplift) centres for children of Mahadalits and Talimi Markaz for those from Muslim community for their education and guidance”. He said that arrangements have been made for free stay and food for these children.

CM claimed that the number of school drops out had declined from 12.5 per cent to 4 per cent in the state since he took over.

Kumar said that uplift of minorities was must for the development of the country. He sought amendments to the Multi Sectoral Development Programme (MSDP) to kick start it in the state. “MSDP had been launched in 7 minority-dominated districts in Bihar to ensure development of SC, ST, women and minorities”, he said and asked the Centre to grant immediate sanction to the proposal.

"I have had discussions with the Planning Commission and the Centre and they have taken my suggestions seriously and assured early action," he said.

Expressing grave concern over state of minorities in the country and Bihar, former union minister and LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan demanded immediate implementation of Sachar report in Toto. Deputy chief minister Sushil Modi, Congress leader Shakil Ahmad , union minister of state Sultan Ahmad, general secretary of All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) Syed Nezamuddin and others also spoke on the occasion.