3 Sep : The scheme for modernising Madrasas in Madhya Pradesh, which has been lauded by Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, is giving the benefit of better and quality education to two lakh 40 thousand children. At present, 5,408 Madrasas have been registered with Madhya Pradesh Madrasa Board, which has been constituted for better education to students belonging to minority communities. Out of these, 4094 Madrasas are recognised. Centre’s financial grant is being received by 749 Madrasas in the state under SPQIM package. During the year 2009-10, grant to the tune of Rs 12 crore 99 lakh 45 thousand was received for 749 Madrasas, which is being distributed.
It may be mentioned that the state government is giving special attention to modernisation of education in Madrasas. For this, a scheme has been launched to make Madrasas’ courses modern. Even Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has lauded the state for these efforts saying that Madhya Pradesh has done better work for modernisation of Madrasas.
Madhya Pradesh is getting financial assistance for the payment of salaries of science, maths, English and Hindi teachers of Madrasas. Recently, 344 more Madrasas have been sanctioned grant by the Centre.
The Union government has also sanctioned funds for the construction of buildings of 10 minority community institutions under IDMI scheme. These funds were to the tune of Rs 17 lakh 47 thousand 850 during the year 2010-11. Posts of 229 Urdu teachers have also been sanctioned for three blocks of Madhya Pradesh.
The state government has already 2100 posts for teaching Urdu under the scheme to modernise Madrasas. The process of creation of Urdu teachers’ posts in the places having 25 per cent Muslim population is also underway. The state government has constituted Madrasa Board for education to minorities under which five thousand 408 Madrasas are registered out of which 4094 are recognised. About 2 lakh 40 thousand students from class I to VIII are imbibing education in these Madrasas
The Minorities Cell constituted by the School Education Department registers the applications/suggestions for the modernisation of Madrasas and presents the same to State Grants Committee after minutely examining them. The Cell also does all the works regarding income and expenditure of aided Madrasas, complaints about financial irregularities and their disposal, convening meetings of Minorities Welfare Commission and Madrasa Board Advisory Committee. The Cell is also carrying out the responsibility of conducting a survey of the areas which have more than 25 per cent Urdu speaking population and sending its report to the state government. It is also doing the works related to Prime Minister’s 15-point and Sachchar Committee report.