At least 55 per cent of students hailing from Old City study in English medium schools but many are unable to pursue higher education due to financial constraints and lack of encouragement from their families,a survey conducted in five localities revealed.

Attributing the lack of education to low employment and abysmal socio-economic conditions,the recent study has revealed how a whopping two-thirds of residents are in the below poverty line (BPL) and rely on ration cards,highlighting the poor state of development in the area.The sample survey which was conducted by a reputed NGO across Kalapather,Sultan Shahi,Shaheen Nagar,Kishan Bagh and Syed Nagar,showed that more than 10 per cent of the 250 people interviewed across the five neighbourhoods couldnt afford to pursue higher education.
Around 5 per cent expressed their inability to study due to little or no encouragement from their families while an equal number found academic pursuits unfruitful.Health issues too were cited as reasons.The study highlights how Sultan Shahi scores poorly on education with the largest number of youngsters here being unable to continue their studies citing a variety of reasons.

While more than 50 per cent of those who were interviewed said they were employed,the rest lacked skills or had poor education to get jobs.The largest number of respondents were from the informal salaried sector with more than 30 remaining unemployed.

Further,a large chunk from across neighbourhoods felt that there were fewer employment opportunities in Old City than in other parts of town with more than 86 per cent of residents of Kishan Bagh voicing the same concern followed by 86 per cent in Shaheen Nagar and around 76 per cent in Kalapather.
Girls are more computer savvy than boys.The prevailing tense situation over the years has made many families reluctant to send their boys out, K Lalitha,a social activist and director of Yugantar,an NGO said.
There are police restrictions as well.Though intangibles,I have observed that many of the Old City folk have confidence issues, she added.The socio-economic conditions of the respondents revealed that around 50 per cent live on a family income of less that Rs 10,000 while more than 75 per cent from areas other than Shaheen Nagar have BPL ration cards.As many as 7 per cent of residents in Shaheen Nagar are without ration cards.
Social activists noted there was an information gap between those from Old City and other parts of town with respect to awareness of job opportunities.

According to social activist SQ Masood,a large number of Old City dwellers remain in dark about job openings in other parts of the town.There are many handicaps because of which people are unaware of job opportunities.Many dont use the internet to check openings.This is seen in people belonging to the lower economic strata, he said.Activists also said that what the Sachar Committee report underscored -- a tiny minority from the Muslim community study in Madrasas was true of Hyderabad in general and Old City in particular.