Muslim & Education

CET Admissions


At least one mosque could be designated in each city and town to gather funds for the admission of Muslims in professional courses.


The need is being felt for a centralised scholarship funding agency for Muslim students selected for MBBS, BDS and BE courses through the Central Entrance Test (CET). This was outlined by Syed Jamal, Public Relations Officer in the CET Cell. Mr. Jamal was speaking to a group of media persons. He said a number of trusts and societies are working in Karnataka for helping students who secure medical, engineering and dental seats on the basis of merit. Sometimes they duplicate the same function and deserving students have to run up to multiple sources for funds. He suggests that at least one mosque could be designated in each city and town to gather funds for the admission of Muslims in professional courses.


Jamal said only 382 medical, 4300 engineering seats and 51dental seats will be offered free this year under the Government quota fixed by the Supreme Court. He said only 50 Muslim boys have secured more than 90 per cent marks in CET exam this year. Nearly 250 have secured over 80 per cent marks and only 642 Muslim boys have scored over 70 per cent marks. Since Muslims have four per cent reservation under exclusive category of 2B, a good many of these may get free seats. Among the top rankers, the first Muslim student’s name figures at 326th place in BE list while in medical list the top most rank secured by a Muslim student this year is at 55th place. Jamal said if the CET list is scanned for the first 1000 students, only 10 Muslim students figure in the race for engineering seats and 24 for the medical list.


Jamal informs that a free medical seat would mean payment of Rs. 16,200, a free dental seat would entail the cost of Rs. 13,900 and a free BE seat comes at Rs. 11,000. But since very few Muslims would be eligible for free seats, those that come under payment category would need to gather from Rs. 15,000 to 38,000 for an engineering seat, from Rs. 75,000 to Rs. 1.15 lakh for dental and from Rs. 1.15 lakh to Rs. 1.80 lakh for a medical seat. He said this segment is the one which needs help from the community as an average middle class family does not have this much funds in reserve. As a result, they often end up selling their hard assets such as house, jewellery or land with a risky future staring into their eyes.


(See page 33 for list of organisations offering scholarships and educational loans to Muslim students)

The Supreme Court permitted the minority institutions belonging to Muslims in Maharashtra to hold separate CET for admission to professional courses for the academic year 2006-2007. A vacation bench comprising Justice Arijit Pasayat and Justice Altamas Kabir allowed the pleas of Association of Muslim Minorities Technical Education and Institute, challenging the state government’s order asking it to take admission on the basis of the CET conducted by it.

Pakistan is ranked amongst the lowest in the world in higher education enrolment, with just 2.9 percent of students enrolled in universities in 2005.


According to the Economic Survey of Pakistan (2005-2006) released here recently, the current adult literacy rate is 53 per cent and net enrolment at primary level is 52 per cent. Government spending on education in 2005-06 was just 2.1 percent of GDP, way below the regional average.


The survey said that the government intends to double higher education enrolment over the next five years by increasing the capacity of existing higher education institutions and also establishing new ones. The quality of education provided is not up to the mark, which can be gauged from the fact that not a single Pakistani university is ranked among the top 500 universities of the world.


According to the survey report, the government introduced several initiatives to improve the education system including free education up to matriculation, free textbooks in schools and grants of scholarships to girls.


The report said a uniform academic year starting from September 1, will be introduced in 2007. Composite exams at secondary level will be introduced in 2007 and at higher secondary level from 2009. English language has been made compulsory from class one and English has also been set as the medium of instruction for science, mathematics, computer science and other subjects. Marks allocated to practical exams in science and social science subjects will be reduced from 25 per cent to 15 per cent in 2007, and the format of board exams will be revised by 2007.

(Daily Times)

“Education is the barometer of the success of a community. If a community is backward educationally, it will be backward in other respects too”, said former MP and Majlis president Sultan Salahudddin Owaisi. He was speaking after giving away cash prizes and educational kits to meritorious students of Government Urdu medium schools recently.. Owaisi said the Majlis was determined to improve the education status of Muslims and was doing its best to create awareness. The party had accumulated Rs. 2.18 crores in the Rahmatul-lil-Alameen fund and was using the same for giving books and school bags to students. Over 1,095 students of Government Urdu medium schools in Nampally, Golconda and Asifnagar mandals were presented cash awards and educational kits containing note books and geometry compass by the Darussalam Educational Trust. Majlis MP, Asaduddin Owaisi said the party had decided to give Rs. 1.30 lakh by way of scholarship every month to students studying in Government Urdu medium high schools in the twin cities.

Board of Islamic Education Karnataka and Goa, is a body conducting Islamic Certified course of two years and Diploma in Islamic studies for three years. The courses are aimed at imparting Islamic education to students and non-students of Karnataka and Goa states. The Board has 157 centres offering these courses in Urdu, English, Hindi and Kannada languages. The Board conducts examinations in all the centres. Educational institutions interested in having a centre for the courses may contact: Board of Islamic Education Karnataka and Goa, 109, 2nd Floor, Millia building, N.R. Road, Bangalore – 560 002. Ph.: 080-22125479 / 9448727396.