Gujarat polls: 71% of Phase I candidates have studied only up to class XII

AHMEDABAD: For 71% of 923 candidates contesting the polls, education stopped at class 12 or lower. The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the Gujarat Election Watch analyzed 923 of 977 affidavits filed by the candidates for phase I of voting.

The analysis shows that 71% of the candidates have education up to class XII — including 171 Ninety-four (10.1%) candidates in the fray are graduates, 77 (8.3%) have graduate degrees in professional courses, and 42 (4.5%) have postgraduate degrees. Four candidates have doctorates.

For the BJP, of the 89 candidates, the highest education of 49 (55%) lies between class V and XII. Thirty-two (36%) have declared themselves to be graduates or holders of higher degrees. The Congress has fielded 86 candidates of whom 38 (44%) have education between class V and XII, and 38 (44%) are graduates or have higher degrees.
The overall analysis by the ADR of candidates who battled in the 2012 elections reveals that qualification index has slid.

In the previous assembly election, 46.55% of BJP candidates had education between class V and XII and 45% had graduate or higher degrees. For the Congress, the number was 50.29% and 42.1% respectively. Overall, 67.52% of candidates had education lower than class XII.

Dinesh Shukla, a political analyst, said that India doesn't have any minimum education requirement to contest elections. "Initial elections had a large number of illiterate representatives," he said. "Educational standing has never played a major role in Gujarat politics. Two factors have remained constant over the years in selecting candidates — caste and winnability. That is another reason why few women candidates are fielded."

Experts also point to the state's socio-economic markers. According to Census 2011, of the 6.04 crore population of Gujarat, 1.93 crore were illiterate. Over 80% of the population covered by the census had never been to college or institutions of higher education.

NUMBER OF CANDIDATES WITH CRIMINAL CASES UNCHANGED SINCE 2012:
The Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) and the Gujarat Election Watch analyzed 923 of 977 candidates for the first phase of the state assembly elections. Pankti Jog, coordinator, Gujarat Election Watch, said that the analysis was based on the sworn affidavits submitted by the candidates to the Election Commission of India. "The remaining were not legible or were not scanned properly. We will soon release the overall analysis ahead of Phase II," she said.