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Lucknow: After the drive for a survey of madrasas in the state over which concerns were expressed from various quarters as a step to stop the particular model of education, the Uttar Pradesh government has directed officials to take action against unrecognised madrasas "as per law".
According to the survey report submitted to the state government by District Magistrates, there are about 8,441 madrasas across the state that do not have recognition. The madrasas in the state are known to follow their own syllabus and no government affiliation or funding is sought by such institution.
State minister for minority welfare, Muslim Waqf and Haj, Dharampal Singh, said he had directed department officials to upload a list of all unrecognised madrasas on the department portal and the MELA app so that parents should get correct information regarding any particular madrasa and they do not end up sending their children. Although this would sound as a new administrative measure, critics see more to it than meets the eye, and allege ulterior motive to put an end to Muslim boys and girls receiving education including religious instruction.
It is unclear at this stage whether the government would take steps to bring the institutions under any scheme giving adequate time, so that students would not suffer without any education, or would proceed with punitive measures and closure of the institutions.
The minister said that during the survey, 8,441 unrecognised madrasas were identified in which about 7,64,164 students, both girls and boys, were enrolled.
"These children are the future of our country and to ensure that they are aligned with mainstream society, it is necessary that they be given access to modern education," he said, adding that the department had also been able to identify the means of funding for the unrecognised madrasas and in most cases, donations and zakat were the main sources of funding.
Singh directed officials to take action in order to provide education as per the new education laws to children from the minority community.
He said that action as per law should be taken against unrecognised madrasas and a presentation must be prepared to give a clear picture about all the unrecognised madrasas that had been identified till now.
This would be presented before Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the coming days.
The survey on madrasas was started in all districts on September 10 on the orders of the state government.
The government has maintained that the survey will only be used to improve the level of education in the madrasas, a contention not easily bought by those connected with madrasa managements.
The highest number of unrecognised madrasas were found in Moradabad district.