IMPAR National Meeting Deliberates on Roadmap for Holistic Development of Muslim Community
Prayagraj: The first national online meeting of the Social Outreach and Coordinated Efforts Committee of the Indian Muslims for Progress and Reforms (IMPAR) was held on Sunday, bringing together academicians, social activists, researchers, media professionals, experts, and community representatives from across India and abroad. The meeting focused on promoting community engagement and developing a practical roadmap for education, skill development, social awareness, and social reform.
The meeting was coordinated by Khalid Ansari, Convenor of the Social Outreach and Coordinated Efforts Committee. In his keynote address, he observed that the greatest challenge facing the Muslim community is not a lack of resources but the absence of awareness, coordination, and strategic planning. He stressed that the community must move beyond discussions and focus on practical and result-oriented initiatives.
Mr. Khalid highlighted the need to address school dropouts and increase participation in secondary, higher secondary, technical, and vocational education. He underlined the importance of digital literacy, skill-based education, career counseling, and employment-oriented training, emphasizing that education should lead to employability and self-reliance. He also called for greater awareness regarding scholarships, government schemes, and professional opportunities.
Social thinker Shaziya Jameel described education and healthcare as the twin pillars of sustainable development. Drawing on international experiences, she emphasized the need for reforms and greater investment in both sectors to ensure community empowerment and long-term progress.
Social activist Ayyub Khan from Mumbai remarked that preparing development plans is easier than implementing them effectively. He emphasized the importance of transparency, accountability, continuity, and active community participation in development initiatives.
Dr. Mohammad Azhar Ansari, Journalist and Senior Research Fellow, Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi, observed that awareness regarding education within the Muslim community has improved over time but still remains below the desired level. He stressed that minority educational institutions should take a more proactive role in guiding students regarding scholarships, government welfare schemes, higher education opportunities, and career planning. He also expressed concern over declining participation in secondary, higher secondary, technical, and vocational education and called for focused interventions.
Injila Abbasi highlighted the importance of personality development, skill education, and employment-oriented training. She noted that many families still do not adequately prioritize higher education and professional development, making awareness campaigns essential.
Abrar Ibn Shamsuddin proposed establishing a national panel of experts to guide students pursuing medicine, engineering, and other professional courses. He suggested creating structured mechanisms for career counseling, admission guidance, and scholarship support. Supporting this proposal, Asif Khan stressed the need for extensive awareness campaigns to ensure that students and parents have access to information about educational opportunities and government schemes.
Addressing institutional concerns, Hakeem Haroon Mahmood highlighted the financial challenges faced by many minority educational institutions. He noted that funding shortages and salary-related issues continue to affect several institutions and called for collective efforts to strengthen their sustainability.
Joining from Iraq, Syeed Sahib expressed concern over the growing problem of substance abuse among youth. He emphasized that education, sports, skill development, and constructive social engagement can help channel young people’s energies in positive directions and reduce social vulnerabilities.
Fouzia Rehman Abbasi from Lucknow highlighted the role of alumni associations in supporting deserving students through mentorship, educational assistance, and employment-oriented initiatives. Referring to successful alumni models, she suggested that such networks should be expanded and replicated.
Shahid Shah from Delhi emphasized the responsibility of social and religious institutions in promoting modern education, digital literacy, and skill development. He urged community leaders to actively contribute to the educational and professional empowerment of youth.
The meeting also featured discussions on environmental awareness, sports promotion, digital libraries, online guidance platforms, mentorship networks, scholarship support centers, and career counseling initiatives. Fakhrul Islam emphasized that sports help develop discipline, leadership, teamwork, and self-confidence among young people.
Participants unanimously agreed that meaningful progress can only be achieved through coordinated efforts in education, skill development, leadership building, employment generation, and social awareness. They described IMPAR’s initiative as a significant step toward promoting inclusive, progressive, and sustainable community development.
In his concluding remarks, Khalid Ansari thanked all speakers and participants for their valuable contributions. He stated that the recommendations emerging from the meeting would be incorporated into IMPAR’s future action plans and expressed confidence that collective efforts and sustained cooperation would contribute significantly to the educational, social, and professional advancement of the community.
The session commenced with a welcome address by Mahera Imam, Senior Manager – Research and Stakeholder Coordination, IMPAR. Welcoming the participants, she emphasized the importance of dialogue, collaboration, and coordinated efforts to address community challenges. She expressed confidence that the committee would serve as an effective platform for advancing education, leadership development, research, public outreach, and community cooperation.
