Karnataka has highest dropout rate among Muslim students

safia@coastaldigest.com (TNN)
October 9, 2013

Bangalore, Oct 9: Karnataka, often called a "progressive state", has the highest dropout rate among Muslim students. On an average, 50,000 students from the community dropout of school each year, a majority of them at the high school level, according to a survey done by the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).

studnets

The average dropout rate is 6.2% compared to the national average of less than 5%.

"The statistics show a worrisome trend," says Mohammed Ali Sheriff, a Harvard and IIM-B research scholar who has studied surveys by the SSA, the National Minorities Development Corporation and other agencies on school enrolment and dropouts among Muslim students.

Survey data for the period between 2008-09 and 2011-12 shows that more Muslim boys drop out of classes IX and X than girls. "This can possibly be because of the transition of a large number of students from Urdu-medium primary schools to high schools that have Kannada or English medium," Sheriff says.

About one-third of Muslim children in Karnataka study in Urdu-medium schools. One of the main reasons for increasing dropouts is that there are just 520 Urdu-medium high schools against 2,411 primary schools that have Urdu as medium of instruction.

The Gulbarga and Belgaum divisions have the highest number of students studying in Urdu-medium schools.

But there's a silver lining: between 2008-09 and 2011-12, about 15.1 lakh Muslim students were enrolled — a healthy 15% of the total enrolments in the state.

Sheriff notes: "This reveals an educational awakening among Muslims and success of the Prime Minister's pre-matric scholarship scheme for meritorious students from minority communities. Though the scheme started with only 21,018 scholarships across Karnataka in 2008-09, the number increased to 4.27 lakh in 2011-12."

Karnataka has the best gender balance among Muslims students, he says. The Gender Parity Index (the number of girls per boys) is 1.05, suggesting that more and more Muslim girls are enrolling themselves and moving to the secondary level.

Commissioner of public instruction Mohammed Mohsin said that primary and secondary education minister Kimmanne Ratnakar will soon speak to Muslim legislators on checking the dropout rate. "The minister is aware of the problem and working out various schemes to arrest the trend."

Former education minister BK Chandrashekar said: "Socio-economic issues could be behind the high dropout rate among Muslim students. Community leaders and stakeholders must focus on offering scientific learning in Urdu schools at the primary level. This will make the students competent and focused."

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 8,2025

SofiaQuraishi.jpg

Belagavi: Colonel Sofia Qureshi who along with Wing Commander Vyomika Singh presented the details of ‘Operation Sindoor’ is being hailed as the daughter-in-law of Karnataka’s Belagavi.

Qureshi's husband Colonel Tajuddin Bagewadi is from Konnur town in Gokak taluk. He has been serving as a colonel in the Indian Army. They were married in 2015.

Qureshi is a native of Baroda in Gujarat, being married to Tajuddin has made her the daughter-in-law of Belagavi.

During a media meet at New Delhi on Wednesday, Qureshi had shared the details of the success of Operation Sindoor which was conducted in retaliation to the terror attack at Pahalgam in Kashmir.

Qureshi has also served in the UN peacekeeping force at Kangola. She has received great appreciation from General Officer Commanding for her work along the borders of Punjab and during the floods in North-East.

Presently Sofia has been posted at Jammu while her husband Colonel Tajuddin Bagewadi at Jhanshi.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 13,2025

A new chapter is unfolding for football in Mangaluru as the football ground adjacent to Nehru Maidan receives a modern artificial turf, with completion expected by the end of May. This long-awaited upgrade promises to significantly enhance the playing experience for both budding and seasoned footballers in the region.

The project, spearheaded by Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL), involves laying synthetic turf across the 90,000 sq ft ground at a cost of ₹2.5 crore. Equipped with efficient drainage systems, the revamped ground will support uninterrupted play throughout the year, regardless of weather conditions.

“This is a long-pending demand of the football community here,” said D.M. Aslam of the Dakshina Kannada District Football Association. “We expect the turf work to be completed in the next two weeks. Currently, around 150 children practice regularly at the ground, and we anticipate that number to rise once the new surface is open.”

MSCL General Manager (Technical), Arun Prabha K.S., noted that while the project had been planned for some time, groundwork officially began after last year’s monsoon league concluded in August. “Once completed, this facility will be a full-fledged synthetic turf suitable for training, local tournaments, and league matches,” he said.

With the inauguration expected soon after the final touches are completed, the new astro turf is set to elevate the city’s football infrastructure and serve as a springboard for talent development across the district.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
May 15,2025

Udupi, May 15: A routine surgery turned tragic at a private hospital in Udupi’s Karkala on Wednesday evening when a 54-year-old woman died during a procedure to remove a suspected abdominal lump. 

The incident triggered immediate outrage from the deceased’s family, leading to a protest outside the hospital premises.

The deceased has been identified as Zubaida, a resident of Sanur, who had been living in a rented house near the hospital. She was admitted after complaining of severe abdominal pain, and doctors advised surgical intervention to remove a lump believed to be the cause of her discomfort.

However, Zubaida reportedly passed away mid-surgery, sparking anger and grief among her relatives and local residents. A crowd soon gathered outside the hospital, demanding an explanation from the medical staff and questioning the circumstances surrounding her death.

As tensions rose, police personnel from the Karkala Town Station were called in to pacify the situation and prevent further escalation. Authorities managed to restore calm and are reportedly investigating the incident.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.