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Pune:
Giving an interesting twist to the debate on Madrasa reforms and
modernisation, renowned educationalist and President of M.C.E.
Society
PA Inamdar February 26 coined the idea of a National Madrasa Board
in line with the ICSE board for the Madrasas and Urdu medium
schools in India.
“If we are wary of the government’s initiative for Madrasa reforms
and modernisation, why can’t we form our own national board the
way the Christian community has done by establishing the Indian
Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) board”, he said while
addressing the state level workshop organised at Azam Campus in Pune.
The workshop was
attended by the Muslim intelligentsia and Madrasa managements from
across the Maharashtra state.
“We are using modern technologies and tools to improve our
personal life. But when it comes to extend the same facilities to
the millions of
students studying in the Indian Madrasas, we are reluctant and
show ignorance”, he said.
“There are an estimated 50, 000 Madrasas in India. If the reforms
are not needed as some of us suggest, then why there are only few
Madrasas among these thousands that have recognition and some
facilities? What about the rest, which neither enjoy recognition
nor have any facility for their students?” he asked.
“We have suffered a lot by showing ignorance towards technology.
It is one of the reasons why we are left behind others. If we do
not adopt the latest trends even now, the gap will only widen”, he
warned.
“It is high time, hence, we devise a concrete plan to modernise
the Madrasas and our institutions. If we do not agree with what
the government is proposing for the purpose, we should have our
own ICSE like board. It will design a syllabus taking everyone’s
views into account and introduce it without disturbing the
existing system and undue interference. It will also have the
responsibility to conduct the examinations and get recognition
from universities for higher education”, he added.
The Indian Certificate of Secondary Education (ICSE) examination
is an examination conducted by the Council for the Indian School
Certificate Examinations (CISCE), a private, non-governmental
board of school education in India. The basis of the idea behind
the formation of such a board was the All India Certificate
Examination Conference held in 1952 to consider the replacement of
the overseas Cambridge school Certificate Examination by an All
India Examination. Interestingly, this conference was presided over
by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the man the Muslim community always
takes pride in but sadly, never tries to
think over his vision for empowerment.
The one-day workshop was organised at the behest of former
bureaucrat and IAS Satish Tirpathi. Besides PA Inamdar who
presided over it, the workshop was also addressed by Karim
Salar of Jalgaon, Dr. Muhiuddin of Aurangabad, former bureaucrat
Arun Bhatia and others. It was also decided during the seminar to
run a campaign for Madrasa reforms.
The efforts to modernise the Indian Madrasas have failed to
receive acceptance by the Madrasa bigwigs ever since they were
introduced by the Congress-led UPA government in its first term.
Now PA Inamdar has come out with an idea of Madrasa reforms by forming
a national board on ICSE pattern – the roots of which lie in a
conference that was presided over by one of the community’s
greatest sons. It will be interesting to see how community reacts
to this.
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