A civil service aspiring youth from Alwar, Rajasthan 21 years old Shubham Yadav beats 93 candidates to become the first non-Muslim and non-Kashmiri to top the all-India entrance exam for a Master’s course in Islamic Studies at Central University of Kashmir (CUK), on October 29, 2020. “I have been getting several calls, including from journalists, who thought it was a big deal to crack the entrance exams. It really isn’t. It’s like any other subject dealing with law, culture and behaviour,” told Yadav.
Yadav revealing it's not a big deal said he got curious about Islam after seeing the “growing Islamophobia and religious polarisation across the world”. “Islamic Studies is not just about the study of Muslims but an exploration of Islamic law and culture", added Yadav. “I believe that, in the future, the administration will need conciliatory mechanisms between Hindus and Muslims and, for that, the administration will require people with greater understanding of religion. I would like to be there if that happens,” he added.
Prof. Hamidullah Marazi, the head of the CUK religious Studies Department, who oversees the course, congratulate him over a phone call. He said many non-Muslims across the country has come to study but this is the first time a non-Kashmiri topped the list. He was happy that students are interested in exploring different cultures. Yadav concluded saying, Religious and study of Islam is something that I will pursue irrespective of the field I am in.
Also Read:
School education dept to focus on 10,000 schools through Prakhar scheme
First school for Transgender students has been opened in Bangladesh
CBSE school body to approach education dept