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    UP Madrasa board demands recognition for 8,449 seminaries

    Synopsis

    Last year, the UP government conducted a survey of madrasas which had found 8,449 of them to be unrecognised. The survey report was submitted on November 15 last year.

    UP Madrasa board demands recognition for 8,449 seminaries
    Representational image
    There has been a growing demand to give recognition to many madrasas in Uttar Pradesh after a survey last year found that over 8,000 such seminaries were unrecognised. Madrasa managers have been alleging harassment by government departments over the unrecognised status of these madrasas, which has cast a shadow on the repute of these seminaries that play a crucial role in imparting education to poor and backward or Pasmanda Muslims.

    Last year, the UP government conducted a survey of madrasas which had found 8,449 of them to be unrecognised. The survey report was submitted on November 15 last year. Chairman of UP Madarsa Education Board Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, also a BJP member, wrote to CM Yogi Adityanath on Thursday requesting to initiate a process of providing recognition to these madrasas. Javed said that it has been eight years since last recognition process was done. Because of this, unrecognised madrasas are often perceived to be "illegal", impacting the education of 7.5 lakh, mostly Pasmanda Muslim youth. This comes at a time when the PM has spoken increasingly about focussing on welfare of Pasmanda Muslims. Madrasa teachers have also alleged harassment by government officials like those from the basic education department and secondary education department who have been threatening them that fines would be imposed due to their unrecognised status.

    Meanwhile, government officials told ET that the decision to grant recognition was still under consideration. An official, on conditions of anonymity, said that an SIT is probing foreign funding to madrasas, especially in the Indo-Nepal region and their recommendations were awaited before a process can be re-initiated.


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