  We investigate emergent universe model using recent observational data for
the background tests as well as for the growth tests. The background test data
comprises of Hubble data, Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) data, cosmic
microwave background (CMB) shift data, Union compilation data. The
observational growth data are obtained from Wiggle-Z measurements and rms mass
fluctuations data from Lyman-$\alpha$ measurements at different red shifts. The
flat emergent universe model obtained by Mukherjee {\it et. al.} is permitted
with a non-linear equation of state (in short, EoS)
($p=A\rho-B\rho^{\frac{1}{2}}$), where $A$ and $B$ are constants. The observed
cosmological data are used here to estimate the range of allowed values of EoS
parameters numerically. The best-fit values of the EoS and growth parameters
are determined making use of chi-square minimization technique. The analysis is
carried out here considering the Wang-Steinhardt ansatz for growth index
($\gamma$) and growth function ($f$ defined as $f=\Omega_{m}^{\gamma} (a)$).
Subsequently, the best-fit values of the EoS parameters are used to study the
evolution of the growth function $f$, growth index $\gamma$, state parameter
$\omega$ with red shift parameter $z$. The present value of the parameters,
namely, $f$, $\gamma$, $\omega$, $\Omega_{m}$ are also estimated. The late
accelerating phase of the universe in the model is accommodated satisfactorily.
