BAREILLY: UP minority affairs minister Dharampal Singh said on Saturday that "madrassas will now provide education that inspire national spirit and not encourage education that spreads terrorism."
Singh made the remarks while addressing a press meet at Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly. The minister had won the last assembly elections from the Aonla seat in Bareilly. According to the data of the ministry of minority affairs, India has a total of 24,010 madrassas. They are largely run by private religious bodies; however, in six states including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Bengal and Assam, a large number of them are state-funded. They are the equivalent of mainstream education and their certificates are also at par with the school boards.
The minister said that the madrassa education syllabus in UP will now be based on the Centre's New Education Policy. "Madrassas are an integral component of the education system in India. A primary reason is that historically, the country's Muslim population has been disproportionately disadvantaged in education. These institutions are facing massive challenges in finances and are in desperate need of reforms," he said.
"There is a lack of scientific and secular subjects in the curriculum, and graduates find it difficult to find employment," he added. The minority affairs minister also said the government will reclaim all illegally grabbed waqf land and properties and utilise them for the welfare of the minorities.
