By Muslim Mirror Staff
The Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board has decided to terminate the approval of 240 madrasas across the state. The decision comes as a result of a comprehensive review by District Minority Welfare Officers, who identified a multitude of issues, including non-functioning institutions and incomplete documentation.
The list of affected madrasas, which has been submitted to the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board, primarily targets institutions that are either not in operation or have failed to meet essential documentation requirements. Many of these institutions have not uploaded the necessary documents on the UDAYS portal due to an insufficient number of enrolled students.
One of the main factors contributing to the termination of approval is the declining number of candidates appearing for madrassa board exams, which has become a growing concern.
This year, a mere 172,000 applications were received from madrasas across the state, signalling a sharp decline. This trend is attributed to the implementation of new regulations by the Madrasa Board, which mandate students from other boards to pass Urdu, Arabic, or Persian at the High School level to be eligible for admission to Alam and to have completed Intermediate or an equivalent examination for admission to Kamil.
Dr. Priyanka Awasthi, Registrar of the Madrasa Board, said that the situation has prompted even some madrasas themselves to seek de-recognition, with ten institutions in Mayo voluntarily sending letters to the board. Additionally, 204 madrasas in Ambedkar Nagar are not functioning, and four in Lucknow have failed to submit essential student records. Notably, Amroha and Sant Kabir Nagar also feature among the institutions affected by the termination of approval.
The decision to terminate approval aligns with the Madrasa Rules of 2016, which stipulate specific criteria for recognition. Subtaniya to Munshi Maulvi madrasas require a minimum of 150 students for approval, while Munshi Mulavis must have no fewer than 30 students. Furthermore, Alam, Kamil, and Fazil madrasas must have a minimum of 10 students appearing for examinations to maintain their recognition status.
