Soon, NCERT books to be introduced in UP madarsas
LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh Madarsa Board has started preparation to introduce books by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in the Islamic seminaries to standardise and improve the curriculum in sync with job requirements.
The move comes close on the heels of the state government directing all madarsas to register with the UP State Madarsa Board.
Speaking to HT, deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma said there are NCERT books in Urdu for mathematics and science. “These will be taught in the more than 16,000 UP madarsas so that their students get modern education. The state government will not disturb the religious teaching in the seminaries,” he said.
“At present, the students study religion-related topics in madarsas. After completing their education in madarsas they do not get admission in universities and colleges. Once they study science and mathematics, they will get admission easily to pursue higher studies,” Sharma said.
Registrar of UP Madarsa Shiksha Parishad, Rahul Gupta, told Hindustan Times: “We are in the process of standardising and integrating the syllabus, especially for subjects like science, mathematics and English. We plan to introduce NCERT books.”
So far students, after completing their education from madarsas, become alims or maulvis, which are low paying jobs.
Most madarsas primarily impart religious teachings with some big ones introducing modern subjects in the last few years.
Gupta said the plan is in a formative stage and officials are working on how to go about it. The board will not touch upon the religious teachings (Deen-e-Taalimi) that is a common practice in madarsas. Only formal education part will be revised soon.
“In the religious part, only bifurcation of books will be done. Like what will be taught to class 1 student and what in class 5. Our sole aim is to introduce NCERT books for subjects like mathematics and science,” he said. Of the over 16,000 madrasas, 560 are governmentaided and 4,500 are partially funded by the state government. The change in syllabus will be introduced in all madarsas in the state.
Eidgah imam Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahli, who runs one of the oldest madarsas in Lucknow adjacent to Aishbah Eidgah, said there is nothing wrong in introducing NCERT books.
“But we would have appreciated had madarsa officials been were taken into confidence before going ahead with it. We are not against modern education. In fact many of the private madarsas are teaching these subjects,” he said. The UP government first asked madarsas of the state to submit their details and register themselves on the newly launched website of the UP Madarsa Board. The government had launched a website for the madarsa board on August 18.