BHATKAL: The one-day INF Launchpad 2025 career and leadership camp concluded on Thursday at Ameena Palace, Bhatkal, with enthusiastic participation from students and positive feedback on the sessions conducted.
Speaking as the chief guest at the valedictory ceremony, Mohammed Rafi Pasha, Deputy Commissioner, GST, Bengaluru, and author of several competitive exam guides, lauded the Indian Nawayath Forum (INF) for professionally organizing a meaningful and well-structured program for Class 10 students. He said that he and his team would be ready to support similar career-oriented initiatives in the future.
Presiding over the session, INF President Aftab Husain Kola highlighted the concerning statistics regarding Muslim representation in premier academic and civil services institutions.
“The share of Muslims in higher education enrolment was just 6% two years ago. In top national institutions such as IITs, IISERs, NITs, and IIMs, the figure drops to a mere 1.92%. In the 2024 Civil Services results, Muslim candidates accounted for less than 3% of the successful list. These numbers remind us of how far we still have to go,” he noted.
He added that the solution lies in early guidance, awareness, and sustained motivation. “This is precisely why we organized this camp — at a stage when a student’s career direction begins to take shape and timely information on emerging career paths, entrance exams, and scholarships can make a decisive difference,” he said.
Other key speakers and resource persons included Ameen-e-Mudassar, CEO of CIGMA, Bengaluru Karnatakas top career counsellor; Suhail Babu, experiential educator and leadership facilitator from Tirur, Kerala; and Mr. Shamsuddin Usman Shaikh, Taluk Minority Extension Officer, Bhatkal. They all commended the organisers for conducting a well-structured and impactful event.
The program began with the recitation of the Holy Qur’an by Hafiz Mohammed Abyaan, son of Ameen Akrami. Adil Nagarmat, General Secretary of INF, delivered the welcome address. Saalim Kola coordinated the event and proposed the vote of thanks, while Tanveer Motiya served as co-coordinator.
The camp featured interactive presentations, discussions, and quizzes that kept students actively engaged throughout the day. A total of 270 students from five schools participated and were awarded certificates of participation.
The sessions provided comprehensive insights into emerging academic streams, competitive examinations, available government and private scholarships, and soft-skill development — equipping students with essential knowledge to strengthen their educational and career journey.