In Bandra, 22-year-old Ghousia Ilyas Sheikh studies for her Class 10 examination and the daughter attends Upper KG in the same school; the mother enjoys strong family support and a clear dream of becoming a doctor
MUMBAI – Every afternoon in Bandra in this Maharashtra metropolis, a quiet but powerful scene unfolds. A mother and her young daughter leave their home dressed in the same school uniform. They walk together, holding hands, towards the same school building. One goes to Upper KG. The other prepares for her Class 10 (SSC) examination.
The mother is Ghousia Ilyas Sheikh, just 22 years old. The daughter is Zainab, still learning her first letters and drawings. Their story is not about chance or novelty. It is about patience, faith, family support, and a Muslim woman’s determination to reclaim an education once denied to her by poverty and difficult family conditions.
Ghousia’s journey stands as a reminder that education among Indian Muslims is often disrupted not by lack of interest, but by social and economic hardship. Her case also shows how support from family and institutions can change lives when offered sincerely.
Ghousia says her love for learning began early, but her path was never smooth. Speaking to Clarion India, she said her childhood was shaped by repeated breaks in schooling due to family problems.
“My childhood passed through many trials and difficulties,” she said. “Despite having an interest in studies, I could not continue regular education because there was no proper attention at home.”
Her first admission was in a Marathi-medium school in Nerul, Navi Mumbai. She managed to pass Class 4. After that, family conditions forced another move, this time to Mankhurd. Schooling stopped, then restarted, then stopped again.
“I was admitted again in Class 5, but when I reached Class 9, once again I could not appear for the exam due to problems at home,” Ghousia recalled. “My studies were interrupted for the second time.”
In March 2020, her marriage was fixed. Even then, Ghousia did not give up hope.
Pre-marriage Condition
Before her wedding, Ghousia made one clear request to her in-laws.
“I told them that I want to study along with managing household work,” she said. “They agreed.”
Soon after her marriage, the Covid-19 lockdown began. Schools were shut, admissions were delayed, and life slowed down. In 2021, Ghousia gave birth to her daughter, Zainab.
“My husband said the child is small, let her become one year old, then you can start studying,” she said. “He was right.”
During this period, Ghousia remained firm on one point: her daughter would not face the same fate.
“I did not want the problems that stopped my education to affect Zainab’s future,” she said.
When Zainab turned two and a half, Ghousia went to a local school to seek admission for her daughter. That visit changed her life.
“I asked the principal about my own studies,” Ghousia said. “She told me that I could also take admission.”
After taking permission from her in-laws, Ghousia enrolled herself and her daughter in the same school in 2024. For the last two years, both have been studying there.
Today, Zainab attends senior KG, while Ghousia prepares for her SSC examination as a regular student, not a private candidate.
Shared Routine, Shared Uniform
Ghousia describes their daily routine with quiet pride.
“We both leave home together in the same uniform,” she said. “Zainab’s school time is from 1 pm to 4 pm, and my classes are from 1 pm to 6 pm.”
Between 4 pm and 6 pm, Zainab sits with her mother in the classroom.
“I give her some writing, reading, or drawing work,” Ghousia said. “After my class ends at 6 pm, we return home together.”
This routine has continued without a break for two years.
Teachers say Zainab has become comfortable in the school environment beyond her age, while Ghousia has grown into one of the most serious students in her class.
Despite managing household work and childcare, Ghousia has remained focused on her studies. She says discipline has been her greatest support.
“I study every night from 12 midnight to 3 am,” she said. “If there are topics that need more attention, I write the points and paste them on the wall so that I can read them again and again.”
Her efforts have already shown results. In 2025, she passed her Class 9 examination with 68.60 per cent marks and stood as a class topper.
“I have always continued self-study at home, even when my schooling stopped,” she said. “That helped me a lot.”
Now preparing for the SSC examination, she is confident.
“I am working very hard,” she said. “I hope to score at least 85 per cent.”
A Dream Shaped by Pain
Ghousia’s ambition goes beyond passing exams. She wants to become a doctor.
After completing SSC, she plans to take admission in the science stream. Her wish to practise medicine is deeply personal.
“My father was diabetic,” she said. “Because of diabetes, he often had wounds on his feet and suffered a lot.”
She remembers visiting government hospitals with him.
“I saw how patients like my father were treated,” she said. “That pain stayed with me.”
It was then that Ghousia made a decision.
“I decided that I will become a doctor and treat poor, helpless, and elderly patients with respect,” she said.
Ghousia is clear that her journey would not be possible without support from her husband and in-laws.
“I get full support from my husband and also from my in-laws,” she said. ‘Because of them, my confidence is strong. In sha Allah, I will become a doctor.”
Her father-in-law, Abdul Rahman Sheikh, echoed this sentiment.
“This is the age of education,” he told Clarion India. “We respected Ghousia’s wish and allowed her to study. Whatever help she needs is being given.”
He added, “We want her to manage her home and also serve society as a doctor.”
Such support challenges common stereotypes about Muslim families discouraging women’s education. Ghousia’s case shows the opposite: encouragement, trust, and shared responsibility.
The school administration also recognised Ghousia’s determination early on.
A senior school official said, “When Ghousia came with her husband for admission, we advised her to fill SSC Form No. 17 as a private candidate.”
But Ghousia had a different wish.
“She wanted to be part of a regular school and appear for the Class 10 exam as a regular student,” the official said. “Seeing her determination, we gave her admission.”
Since then, the school has continued to support her.
“Because of her commitment, we help her in every possible way so that she can fulfil her dream of becoming a doctor,” the official added.
Ghousia’s learning has not been limited to books alone. During her time at school, she has also picked up practical skills.
She has learnt how to repair electrical switchboards, fix washing machines, and handle broken electrical wires. These skills, she says, give her confidence and independence.
“I believe learning should help in daily life as well,” she said.
Ghousia Ilyas Sheikh’s story is not just about one mother and one child. It reflects the reality of many Muslim women whose education is interrupted by poverty, migration, early marriage, or family pressure.
Yet it also shows that when families, schools, and society extend support instead of judgment, women return to classrooms with even greater strength.
In a country where Muslim women are often spoken about without being heard, Ghousia’s voice is clear and steady.
“I only want to study and serve people,” she said.
Each afternoon, as Ghousia and Zainab walk together in matching uniforms, their steps carry a simple but strong message: education has no age, and dignity begins with opportunity.
