UP Madrassas to have NCERT syllabus, modern education on the cards

New Delhi, Jan 03: Madrasa Education Council Chairman, Iftikhar Ahmed Javed said that the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madrassas has started preparations to provide modern education and religious instructions within the Madrassas.

Javed said that the Madrassa children will also study the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) syllabus this year. Modern education will be given along with religious education, the chairman said.

The Ministry of Education and the Union Government had already extended financial assistance to Madrassas to develop their educational standards in as many as 18 states. The statistics show there are over 10,000 Madrassas in four states of India where over 20 lakh students study. The highest is in Uttar Pradesh where there are over 8,000 Madrassas in which 18 lakh students are studying.

In the new academic year, the focus of the Madrassas in Uttar Pradesh will be more on modern education, Javed said that now Madrassa children will be able to study computers, maths, science etc.

The chairman added that the new syllabus will be released in March. Pre-preliminary classes such as KG, UKG and LKG will begin studies from March.

In November this year UP's Minority Welfare Minister, Dharampal Singh said that the survey of the Madrassas in the state had been completed. He had said that the survey had come to an end and the report of the remaining 15 districts has been submitted to the government.

He had said that prior to this 6,643 unrecognised Madrassas had been identified. He said that they had completed the survey of 5,170 Madrassas. The survey was conducted to ensure that basic facilities for the students were given. All the District Magistrates in Uttar Pradesh were issued instructions regarding the survey.

Minister of State for Minority Welfare, Muslim Waqf and Waqf Department Danish Azad Ansari said that the the order also says that maternity leave and child care leave should be given to women employees working in a Madrassa.