Denying Higher Education To Muslim League Will Derail Progress Of Minorities, Backward Groups

Malappuram, Kerala: Activists, educational intellectuals and minority backward groups in Malabar have voiced concerns over the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF)’s portfolio allocation, especially in regard to the higher education department.

Following the UDF’s spectacular victory in the 2026 assembly elections, a new cabinet under chief minister VD Satheesan took oath earlier this week. Notably, despite the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) traditionally and historically holding the education portfolio in the UDF government considering the socio-educational backwardness of the Malabar region, the Congress has reclaimed the Higher Education portfolio this time.

Read Also: From Calicut To The World: How Malabar Gold And Diamonds Became A Top Jewellery Brand

The Muslim League’s advocate N Samsudheen has been given the general education department, excluding higher education, while Congress’ Roji M. John was granted the higher education portfolio. Since party stalwart CH Mohammed Koya first served as Education Minister between 1967 and 1973, the IUML has been instrumental in bridging the gap in Kerala’s historical educational divide.

Following the portfolio allocation, there have been fears that the exclusion of higher education from the IUML would result in regressing the ongoing educational upliftment in Malabar, potentially pushing the region into stagnant growth. Several intellectuals and activists have demanded that the Muslim League should retain the higher education portfolio, given the regional educational dynamics.

Read Also: The Calicut Manifesto: Adv Fyzal Babu On Building A Smarter City And Kinder Community

In a statement, the Muslim Student Federation (MSF) of Jamia Millia Islamia University pointed out that the Malabar region is still moving at a snail’s pace in Kerala’s higher educational field. The student body demanded that, if portfolios must be divided, the Muslim League should take higher education while leaving the general education department, highlighting that the region has only 25% graduation seats and 239% post-graduation slots, and has no access to advanced science and tech courses including AI.

The organisation pointed out that most of the students from Malabar go to north Indian states to pursue higher education solely because they do not have the options here. ‘Institutes of advanced studies should not be confined to Thiruvananthapuram or Kochi but should be expanded in Malabar too,’ it noted.

Read Also: ‘Panthal Chant’ Lyrics And How It’s Connected To Malabar’s Football

Therefore, the Muslim League should take over the higher education department to cater for just and equal access to higher education to all across the state, the MSF demanded. Several activists and professors have also made similar demands, noting that discrimination continues against the Malabar region in providing advanced courses.