‘Modernisation of madrasas severely hit… Teachers were not paid, most of them quit’: Ex-UP madrasa board chief after SC order

Due to nefarious designs of some, the (2004) Act was challenged in the High Court and the matter was heard like a fast-track court. And finally the Court has struck down the Act. Some people wanted to kill the madrasa education system by going after the Act, which acts like the root of the madrasa education system. The Supreme Court order is a slap on the face of those who raised doubts over the education system in madrasas.

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) told the Supreme Court that education imparted in madarsas was ‘not comprehensive’ and therefore ‘against RTE’, that textbooks in these institutions teach ‘the supremacy of Islam’.

It seems the NCPCR has nothing to do but give statements against madrasas. The Commission is not doing anything on schools, but all the problems seem to be with madrasa education. The Commission also said that Hindu students should be removed from madrasas. Such doubts may be raised in future about schools being run by missionaries. And I would also like to point out that students at madrasas are going there of their and their parents’ free will. They (the NCPCR) should go to madrasas and see how they function and what the students study there… On the issue of Islamic teachings at madarsas, I would ask one thing – is religious education not imparted in Sanskrit Board schools in UP?

After the Allahabad High Court declared the UP Act unconstitutional, was the functioning of madrasas in UP affected?

I don’t think studies were impacted… But there was a growing anxiety about what the Supreme Court was going to rule. We held the exams in February, announced the results. Subsequently, the new session also started and children were studying as they are supposed to. But one thing is that the modernisation of madrasas has been severely impacted as teachers under the (modernisation) programme have not been paid salaries for seven years. Most of them quit, and that has impacted modern education at madrasas.

Do you think the Supreme Court order may help resolve issues like pending salaries?

Let’s see what happens and what the government does. Everyone wants modern education. The honourable Prime Minister has also said students should have the Quran in one hand and a computer in the other.

In its order on Tuesday, the apex court also said that the Madarsa Board should not give higher educational degrees like Kamil (equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree), and Fazil (equivalent to a Master’s) as it violates University Grants Commission Act.

This has been an issue for a while, but the files are pending. What should happen is that madrasas giving such degrees should be brought under the ambit of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University in Lucknow. This is a good order by the apex court because if madrasas are affiliated with a university, it will help students get better opportunities.