Cheraman Academy for Research and Education
(A centre for civil services and other competitive examinations)
LOCATION – Why at Kodungallur- Kodungallur and muslim heritage

One of the oldest cities in kerlal, it commanded an important place for centuries as a preferred port and it was the gateway to India for other civilizations. Kodungallur is important not only in the history of kerala but also of India. Kodungallur, known as musiris in ancient times, has been the cradle of kerala culture and the first meeting point of all major religions in kerala viz. Hindus muslims and Christians. This rich heritage is evident in the oldest mosque in India. Cheraman masjid, the St. Thomas church at palayoor built by apostle St. Thomas and that these two exist peacefully with Goddess kurumba Devi’s temple in the heart of the town. Islam came to India in the 7th century through the disciple of prophet of islam(PBUH), the great saint Malik Bin Dinar, who came to kodungallur in 629 AD and established the first mosque in the subcontinent. Thus kodungallur was the focal point of the growth and spread of muslims in south India. The flourishing maritime trade had a profound effect on the well being of muslims of the area and they emerged as a prosperous community within a very short time.

In the matter of education, kodungallur muslims were much ahead of their compatriots in kerala. The enlightened muslims of the area gave much importance to female education. The first female Doctor in kerala Smt. P.K Rabia hailed from kodungallur. The visionaries among the affluent muslims of kodungallur amalgamated with the progressive and intellectual brains of the Ulema created a chain of events resulting in the formation of an organization called “Muslim Aikya Sangham” in 1923 at Eriyad, kodungallur.Aikya Sangham and its ideologies were well accepted by the community. Thus under the aegis of aikya sangham, a total of 1497 schools were started in muslim dominant areas of cochin and Malabar. They reformed madrasa syllabus and modernized madrasas and supplied books, slates and pencils and other study materials free to all students. Mid-day meal at a regular basis was started and all these were open to students of all castes and creed. They encouraged the muslim community to accept Govt scholarships and established scholarships of their own. Female litracy was promoted with great emphasis. They were instrumental in establishing a system where Arabic munshis (teachers) were to be appointed by the government in muslim dominant areas. The result had far reaching effects. By the time the nation became independent the general literacy of muslims of kodungallur was almost at par with that of general population and muslim female literacy was far ahead of the national average. It is interesting to note that the village of Eriyad, kodungallur from where Aikya sangan originated, has the latest number of muslim lady doctors now. It is also to be noted that when only a few affluent families were literate in muslim community in kerala, the general and secular literacy had percolated to the grass root level at kodungallur even at the beginning of the 20th century. To this great achievement the community is indebted to the vision, courage, and commitment of leaders like kottapurath seethe mohammed Sahib, Manapat kunhumohamed haji, Janab Seethi Sahib, and other leaders of Aikya sangham. Janab Mohamed Abdurahman Sahib, was a great leader of freedom movement and Janab K.M Ibrahim Sahib, son of seethe Mohamed sahib, and younger brother of seethe sahib, was a great parliamentarian. Dr. P.K Abdul Gafoor, the founder of president of M.E.S is also from kodungallur.

THE NEED – why a civil service institute –
The civil services, considered as one of the premier services, offer an attractive and challenging career to the ambitious, the aspring and the talented, with a wide variety of jobs having relatively greater sphere of authority and power than any other services in India. They form the steel frame of our administrative edifice. They formulate, implement and monitor all major socio-economic devolepment activities. The entry in to the civil services is very tough and it requires a very high degree of academic excellence. That is why the percentage of candidates in higher civil services many times form a benchmark for assessing the socio economic progress of a community. It is worth noting that one of the main planks on which the Gujjar community recently unleashed an agitation in North India was the near zero represenation of the community in the all India sevices. Unfortunately, the muslim community does not fare any better. According to the Sachar committee report Muslims form a mere 2-3% of the higher civil services. This is a dismalk state for a community that forms about 15% of the country’s population and have been the victim of state antipathy for a long time. This is at a time when the community is facing state sponsored programs like what happened in Gujrat in 2002. clearly, we need more members from muslim community in the higher echelons of police and Bureaucracy. In short, the need for a civil service institute that largely caters to the needs of muslim minority can be summed up as follows:

Social empowerment is a prelude political and economic empowerment
There is institutional bias against muslims in administration. This needs to be corrected. The only way is to have more members from the community in the higher civil services.
There are an umpteen number of programmes and schemes for the upliftment of the community. Many times the implementation of such programmes have been tardy due to the existing institutional bias. Thus the fruits of welfare programmes are not reaching the community.

THE INSTITUTE – CARE (Cheraman Academy for Research and Education)

The CARE institute is under the auspices of the cheraman educational society. The society has been formed to promote academic research and education among the aspring youth and even sponsoring and adopting students for higher education. The first and formest priority of the society is to rejuvenate the educational sector in central kerala so as to regain its lost glory in higher cinil services. The society aims to cater to whole section of society with special thrust to uplift the backward sections and minorities. The society has a core group of commited philanthropists, eminent academicians and social activists who act as the driving force behind it. The CARE institute is the latest gift from the CES to the educated youth of kerala.

CARE Features:-

	A modern and comperhensive state of the art library with internet facility specifically modeled on the requirements of the civil service aspirants. Infact, the CARE academy has the largest civil services oriented library in kerala. The Adv.P.M Mohammedali memorial library at the centre has a constellation of exam oriented books and a plethora of national and international journals. Wealso subscribe to all leading newspapers and magazines.
	A galaxy of expert faculty members with ample Civil service exposure.
	Personality devolepment classess designed to devolep various faculties of a student like language skills, inquistiveness, catholic curiosity and critical assessment
	Specifically designed and to the point course material that imparts the much needed cutting edge to the students
	Renowned and efficient administrators sharing their experience
	Periodic test papers and individual feed back sessions followed by special revision modules
	Irregular attendence , insubordination to teachers ,habitual neglect of class assignments and obscenity in the word or deal shall be viewed seriously.
	Strict disciplinary action will be taken against the students formal having any association with anti-social gangs.

CARE PROGRAMMES :-
The academy offers both regular and preparatory courses.

	Regular Batch:
	This batch is primarily for students appearing for 2009 civil services preliminary examination. The programme has been desighned in such a way as to meet the requirements of fulltime aspirants/working professionals/ college going students. Classes will be mainly conducted on saterdays and Sundays and other public holidays.
	Orientation programme
	This is mainly intended for under graduate students who will appear for the exams within a couple of years . Classes will be held on the first and last saterday of every month.
	Foundation programme:
	For plus one and plus two students who wishes toprepare for different competitive exams on a long term basis. To the convenience of these students, classes will be arranged on second saterday and last Sunday of every month.
	CARE VISION.
	We shall strive hard to mould the youth of the day to face the challenges of the future and to create a new generation that is morally commited, intellectually accomplished and selflessly dedicated to the devolepment of the nation…

Cheraman Academy for Research and Education
Acentre for civil services and other competitive examinations

Cheraman Orphanage Bldg., Kodungallur PO, Pin-680664
Thrissur Dt., Kerala, Phone : +91 0480-3290009