KOZHIKODE: Darul Quran Academy at Alathiyur, in Malappuram, offers a slew of courses such as Islamic moral studies, Quran memorisation and Quran recitation training, as expected from the religious educational institution run by Mujahideen group. The odd one out is civil services examination coaching.
What does civil services have to do at a Quran learning academy? Well, that speaks about the fast-changing preference of Muslim community in the state.
Dwindling fortunes in the Gulf are prompting more and more youth in the Muslim community in the state to give importance to education, with eyes mainly on civil services and Kerala Administrative Service.
Success stories like that of T Shahid from Thiruvallur, Kozhikode, who cracked civil services exam after spending 12 years as a madrasa teacher, have boosted the confidence of Muslim youth.
“Besides dwindling fortunes in the Gulf, the Sachar Committee has exposed the marginal presence of Muslims in government services. Muslim organisations are now encouraging youth to pursue higher education,” said Darul Quran Academy director Mohammad Ameen.
Samastha Kerala Sunni Students’ Federation, belonging to the EK Sunni faction, had realised the trend long ago and launched TREND, a special wing for encouraging career development among Muslim youth.
“In 2012, we had selected 300 students from across the state who had passed the SSLC examination and given them five-year training for civil services examination. Half of them were girls. A few moved to New Delhi to continue civil services examination coaching while 60 joined reputed universities outside Kerala for higher studies,” said TREND HR coordinator M Abdul Qayyum, who is also an assistant professor at Government College Mokeri.
Education is the answer
Social critic Mujeeb Rehman Kinaloor, a former state president of Ithihadu Shubbanil Mujahideen (ISM), the youth wing of Kerala Nadvathul Mujahideen (KNM), said Muslim youth have realised that their strength in the government system is dwindling and education is the only way to regain the lost ground.
“If they want to have influence, investing in education is the only way out. That’s reflecting on the present shift,” he told Express.