More Than 500 Madrasas in Uttar Pradesh Relinquish Recognition from the Government: Stricter Policies of Yogi Government Under Scrutiny
This has become a significant development in Uttar Pradesh, where as many as 513 government-recognized madrasas have returned recognition to the state government. The surprising decision has made the UP Madrasa Board probe into the ‘reasons’ behind this. Many are questioning whether madrasas, which have been at the receiving end of increased policies by the Yogi Adityanath government in UP since 2017, are giving up recognition to shy away from increased government scrutiny. This article will delve deeper into the reasons for such mass surrender, the role of the government’s policies, and the latest state of madrasas in Uttar Pradesh.
Mass Surrender of Recognition: A Closer Look
The news of the 513 madrasas’ surrendering their government recognition has triggered a ripple of curiosity and concern across the state. These madrasas, which were once recognized by the government, have now withdrawn from continuing that association with the official recognition of the state government. An inquiry has been initiated by the UP Madrasa Board by sending notices to all the said institutions to identify the exact causes of such a decision.
The major question being raised is if the move has been a direct response to the stringent policy of the Yogi government on the subject of madrasas. The government had, since 2017, issued different orders to check malpractices and bring transparency into the operational working of the madrasas.
Yogi Government’s Stringent Measures on Madrasas
The Yogi Adityanath-led government has pursued a hardline policy on madrasas ever since coming into power in 2017. One of the key reforms that were affected was the creation of the madrasa portal aimed at monitoring and regulating recognised madrasas and preventing the running of fake institutions. This led to the ground clearance for the reduction of recognised madrasas from over 22,000 to 16,500.
The online portal has enabled the government to monitor madrasa functioning closely, besides bringing unrecognized madrasas also under its scanner. Such institutions have consequently fallen under closer control of the government, which continues to urge transparency and accountability, besides preventing misuse of funds.
The government has also installed web cameras at madrasa examination centers to check cheating. It has also ordered a survey of unrecognized madrasas, asking them to account for their sources of funding, besides ordering an investigation into their activities. The state has also issued an order for an SIT to investigate the donations the institutions receive. In fact, the mandate of the SIT would be to look at how the madrasas are being funded, where is all the money to keep their operations running coming from, and whether or not they are carrying out their duties as educational institutions appropriately.
Government Orders and Their Effects on Recognition of Madrasas
The strict policies of the Yogi government regarding inspections and investigations of madrasas have directly hit madrasas in UP. According to many madrasa authorities, demands for accountability and investigations continuously put undue pressure on them. There is a growing feeling among madrasa administrators that it is becoming increasingly difficult to operate under the current government’s regulations.
Madrasas representatives said that some institutions filed applications for the cancellation of recognition against the burden of compliance with the government orders. They say it is hard to smoothly operate amid probes over and over again on their funding sources and pressures to bring the education institutes at par with modern requirements.
Till 2017, the central and state governments covered the salaries of three teachers who were teaching modern education in the madrasas. This facility has now been withdrawn, and additional strain is caused by the resources available with the madrasas for salary payments to their teachers. The madrasas were finding it more difficult to keep their institutes running without assistance from the government regarding paying salaries to their teachers.
Types of Madrasas in Uttar Pradesh
Presently, three types of madrasas are found in UP :
Recognised Madrasas: These are a set of madrasas enrolled on the portal of the UP Madrasa Board. There are 16,513 such madrasas in the state where approximately 18 lakh students are being served. All these madrasas follow a government-recognised course curriculum and adhere to the rules and regulations laid out by the state.
Government-Aided Madrasas: Out of the recognized madrasas, 558 are aided. In these madrasas, the government pays the salaries of teachers and other staff members. The students also receive NCERT books and the mid-day meal facility. The madrasas come more under the strict vigil of the government as they receive financial assistance from the state.
Unrecognised Madrasas: There is an equal number of unrecognised madrasas in UP, which are not enlisted on the madrasa portal. The government had conducted a massive survey of unregistered schools with the objective of keeping track of their operations, sources of funding and curriculum plans. These madrasas run a greater risk of closures if they fail to meet the statutory requirements of the government.
Why Are Madrasas Giving Up Their Recognition?
There might be more reasons why these 513 madrasas decided to give up recognition, but some of the general reasons mentioned by most of them are increased government scrutiny. The unabated demands for inspection, investigation, and compliance with new regulations have simply frustrated the madrasa administrators.
Most madrasas, especially the ones that are dependent on private donations, appear visibly uncomfortable with the government’s effort to look into their sources of funding. The SIT probe into donations made to madrasas has sparked fears of disruption in their financial autonomy.
Besides this, the withdrawal of the system of government subsidy covering teachers’ salaries for modern education has made it difficult for many madrasas to maintain an adequate staffing. As the resources have become scarcer and demands for compliance more onerous, many madrasas felt it easier to operate without government recognition.
Conclusion
The decision of the 513 madrasas in UP to voluntarily surrender the recognition accorded to them by the government has reopened debate on how the policies of the Yogi Adityanath government are affecting religious educational institutions. If some see the attempt of the present government to streamline madrasa administration and bring transparency into their functioning as commendable, there are others who argue that greater scrutiny of religious institutions has made their functioning impossible.
While the UP Madrasa Board is investigating the reasons behind this mass surrender, it remains to be seen whether more madrasas would follow suit. For the time being, the focus is on ensuring that responsibility is fixed on these institutions while giving them the freedom to continue their educational mission.
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