By Najiya O., TwoCircles.net,
Malappuram:The Kerala Medical Entrance tests have brought cheers to the Muslim community in the state. For the first time in history, Muslim students have bagged more than 25% of the top 1000 ranks this year. This counts to 254. The first 100 ranks saw 24 Muslims and the first 500 saw 131.
“In recent times, there is good advancement of Muslim students in the field of education, especially in the Malappuram district,” said Prof U Muhammed, former principal of Farooq College, Calicut. “Earlier Malappuram district as well as Muslims was backward in education matters. But it is happy to note that now they are coming forward. Earlier, there was representation of Muslims with regard to their population only in the primary and secondary levels, that is 27%. Muslim representation in colleges was below 10 per cent. But nowadays, this has changed. There is indeed an awakening in the field.”
He sees the increase in the number of good coaching centres as well as encouragement through various means like scholarships as the reasons for this change. “But we have to study and analyse factors like the ratio of boys and girls in the success, the achievements in each district etc for a continuous two-three years to understand the nature of this change. We have to know if this is only a change in a year or a real trend,” Prof Muhammed added.
Malabar has really done well in the medical and engineering entrance exams this year in the state. Kozhikode district tops the rank-holders’ list in the medical stream and is second in the engineering stream. The top 1000 list of medical entrance has about 146 candidates from the district. And in the engineering stream it amounts to 134 in the top 1000 list. The top 1000 list of medical stream finds 138 students from Malappuram; this is the second highest figure in a district. In engineering, 110 aspirants found their place in the top 1000 list.
“This is indeed encouraging, a positive sign,” said PM Pareethu Bava Khan, general secretary of Unity for Social Development. “He pointed out the significant role played by various organizations in the educational upliftment of the community.
The results clearly indicate what would be the result if the potentialities of Muslim students are provided with ample opportunities and encouragement. The medical and engineering entrance results in the state were announced on 15th June, 2009.