How a whopping 17 students from this gov't aided school in a Kerala village made it into DU colleges

Just ten days after Delhi University (DU) professor Rakesh Kumar Pandey showered 'Marks Jihad' allegations on Kerala over the increasing number of Malayali students getting admission into DU colleges, 17 students from a single school in a village in Kerala — Chennamangallur Higher Secondary School — bagged seats in DU colleges.

The Chennamangallur school is run by Islahiya Association, Chennamangallur, a non-profit organisation, under Jamaat-e-Islami. Explaining this phenomenon, the school's principal said, "Beyond the syllabus, we have been providing various classes and lots of guidance to students for the past two decades. The Civil Service foundation course and career guidance cell are a few of our initiatives. The cell will alert the students about the admission notifications of universities outside Kerala and our alumni also extend help."

Ten Humanities students and seven Commerce students of this government-aided school were successful in gaining admission through the national-level entrance test as they scored high marks. Of these, seven students are girls and all of them belong to the Muslim community. Besides these 17, K Favas, another Humanities student, had secured the first rank in the General Category for BA (Hons) History conducted by Jamia Millia Islamia and fourth rank in the OBC Category for BA Economics. So, in total, 18 students from the school got admission into colleges under DU and Jamia Millia. 

Of the 17, four students secured admission into Hindu College, SRC College, three into Miranda House and one into Zakir Husain Delhi College. Two got into Kirori Mal College as well, where Pandey is a Professor of Physics. Though many students of Chennamangallur school have made into DU colleges in the past, it's the first time that they are seeing a number as high as 17. 

The school boasts of an active film club, regular publication of journals, a YouTube channel and open forum discussions, many of which other higher secondary schools cannot think of. Favas, who has decided to join the BA Economics degree at Jamia, said, "I am from Malappuram. I pursue my higher secondary studies at this school that is far away because of its fame. We get proper direction and guidance here. There are students from Palakkad, Ernakulam and even Lakshadweep in my class."