Northern India has a significant Shia population, yet only a small fraction of Shia students pursue professional courses. At institutions like Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), just 2–3% of enrolled students are from the Shia community. Recognizing this disparity, Imamia Medics International (IMI) took decisive steps to bridge the gap and uplift Shia youth through access to quality education.
In 2019, IMI launched the Imamia Super 14, a flagship coaching and guidance program designed to support bright Shia students from underprivileged backgrounds in gaining admission to prestigious institutions like AMU and JMI. Initially, 72 deserving students were selected each year through a talent search. These students received intensive coaching to prepare for entrance exams for admission into 11th grade, the critical entry point to AMU and JMI. Completing 11th and 12th grades at these institutions qualifies students as ‘internal candidates,’ providing a significant advantage for securing professional degrees, as 50% of seats are reserved for internal students. Recognizing the growing need and potential, the program has now been significantly expanded and rebranded as Imamia Super 72, allowing more students to benefit from this life-changing opportunity.
IMI is constructing a state-of-the-art IMI House on 300 sq yards of land in Aligarh to support Super 72 and other community initiatives.
Building on the success of Super 14, IMI has expanded the initiative into Imamia 72 coaching and guidance center, with a larger-scale educational facility that includes boarding, coaching, and career guidance for 72 students. Building on this success, the initiative has scaled up to Super 72, with plans to expand to Super 313 in the future.
Dr. Nuzhat Shikoh, Member IMI US Board of Directors visits IMI Super 72 Coaching Facility and Get Well Clinic in Aligarh, India.