Driven by a passion for world exploration, Adeel Muneer from Koduvally town in Kozhikode district views studying abroad as the ideal pathway to his goal.
Unfazed by the destination, he simply desires to pursue a degree in business marketing after recently completing his Plus Two course.
“The thrilling idea of liberating oneself from a mundane existence truly inspires me,” Adeel told The Hindu, while attending a global education expo in the city on Saturday.
Adeel is a representative of hundreds of students attending such expos across the State during summer holidays. Two events were conducted in Kozhikode in one day, and more is in the offing. “Students these days are exposed to life in Europe, Australia, and other developed countries through television and online media. It is impossible to chain them down here as they know what is out there and yearn for a better life,” said M. Abdul Khader, a parent who had turned up with his daughter to check out opportunities in Canada, explaining the rising trend among Kerala students to pursue higher education abroad.
Minister for Higher Education R. Bindu had recently said that the number of students from the State pursuing higher education overseas was the fourth highest in the country. Of the more than six-lakh students who migrated from India in the previous academic year, 4% are from Kerala, while students from Andhra Pradesh, Punjab (12% each), and Maharashtra (11%) top the list.
Superior infrastructure and better scope for placements are the factors that drive Rena, an undergraduate student of Mathematics, to pursue higher education in data science in Germany. “If we have good scores, we can avail almost free education in Germany,” said Rena, while four of her friends agreed. Mohammed Safwan and Mohammed Zidan from Malappuram are game for any European university that offers better infrastructure and academic standards compared to Kerala. “The opportunity to stay back after education is also a plus,” Safwan said.
Freedom is one of the key factors that lure students from Kerala to Europe, although it has a different meaning for girls and boys.
“We have a lot of lifestyle restrictions here. Everyone in the neighbourhood is interested in our matters. Then there is moral policing. Freedom from all this will be a bonus for us, even though the yearning to make a better and independent living is my reason to pursue education abroad,” said Fathima Husna, an undergraduate student in Computer Applications. She and her classmate Rifa Jasmine want to pursue post graduation in Computer Applications in Canada.
