Thiruvananthapuram: In what could indicate a potential shift in the state’s education sector, Oriental Schools – where students study either Sanskrit or Arabic as their first language – are losing appeal among Class 10 students following the state syllabus.
According to information obtained by TNIE under RTI, the number of students from Sanskrit and Arabic Oriental Schools who enrolled for the SSLC exams has seen a dip over the past seven years.
The number of students who enrolled for SSLC exams from Sanskrit Oriental Schools came down from 1,295 in 2019 to 609 in 2026 -- a dip of 52.97%. The total number of Sanskrit Schools functioning under the directorate of general education has also seen a drop from 20 to 15 over the same period.
While the fall in student count in Sanskrit schools is sharp, Arabic Oriental Schools in the state are relatively better off. From 1,804 students enrolling for SSLC exams in Arabic schools in 2019, the number dropped to 1,510 in 2026, registering a dip of 16.24%. However, the total number of Arabic Oriental Schools remained at 13 in both 2019 and 2026.
A proportionate dip is not seen in the overall count of students who appeared for the SSLC exams from all schools, as the change only indicates a 4% drop in the total number of attendees during the period.
While pointing out that a reduction in the number of schools and students over these years might have contributed to the dip, senior academic Achuthsankar S said that Sanskrit and Arabic Oriental Schools have lost their significance compared to the past. “Earlier, some families might have sent their children to Sanskrit schools as part of religious practices, which could have changed now. There was a better outlook for Sanskrit scholars in the past, too,” Achuthsankar said.
On the lower dip in Arabic Oriental Schools, he suggested the figures cannot be attributed to the language’s religious significance alone.
“Many Malayalis work in Gulf countries and consider Arabic as a functional language and skill. It could be seen as a foreign language which helps with the job market,” he said.
This story is reported by Aswin Asok Kumar
