UP madrasas to soon get NCERT textbooks
The UP government is introducing NCERT books throughout all madrasas in the state. This won't affect the current religious teaching imparted in madrasas. Through this move, the government aims to introduce modern teaching to help students get better, well-paying jobs. As of now, most madrasa students become maulvis or join other similar professions, most of which are low-paying.
How does the madrasa syllabus look like as of now?
Presently, subjects like English, Hindi and Mathematics are taught only till Taitaniya (Classes 1-5) and Faukania (Classes 5-8). Math, history, geography and science are alternative subjects in high school and post-high school. The government has now set up a 40-member panel to revamp the course of madrasas, which included members from the NCERT, AMU and Lucknow University. They are "standardizing and integrating the syllabus".
What changes are being planned?
The government's plan of modernizing madrasa education is still in the formative stage. According to Rahul Gupta, Registrar, UP Madrasa Shiksha Parishad, "All books, except Hindi and English texts, will be in Urdu." Math and science might be made compulsory up to Aaliya (high school) level and above. "In the religious part only bifurcation of books will be done."
What do the madrasas think about it?
According to Imam Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahli, who runs one of Lucknow's oldest madrasas, introducing NCERT books is not wrong. "But we would have appreciated had madrasa officials were taken into confidence before going ahead with it. We are not against modern education."
Adityanath govt has passed several directives to madrasas
Since coming to power, the Yogi Adityanath government has attempted to regulate the functioning of madrasas. It first asked them to compulsorily register themselves on the UP Madrasa Board website. They had been asked to provide pictures of classrooms, Aadhaar numbers of teachers, account details etc. Of the state's 16,000 madrasas, 560 are government-aided and 4,500 are partially funded.
