Lucknow: The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government in India's largest state Uttar Pradesh (UP) claimed that over 7,000 Islamic Schools, popularly known as Mada'aris (or Madrasas plural of Madrasa) in the state are unrecognised.
The claim was made after a recent survey carried out by the state government.
The government said the final list of "unrecognised madrasas" will be released after the district magistrates submit their reports by November 15.
According to the state government, the survey is being done to provide recognition to "unrecognised madrasas" once they meet the "government mandated requirements".
Muslim organisations and those running the Islamic Schools however do not agree to most of the government imposed mandates.
On the other hand, they allege that by doing such surveys the intention of the government is interference in Madrasa Education, and also aimed at targeting of the Muslim community.
Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, Chairman, Uttar Pradesh Board of Madrassa Education meanwhile said that the process to identify the actual numbers will still take time, but we have estimated around 7,500 such madrassas which were surveyed by teams in 75 districts by Thursday evening.
"In Uttar Pradesh, there are 16,513 recognised madrassas, out of which 560 are given government grants (salary to employees, including teaching and non-teaching ones). There are 350 madrassas with less than 15 students. The teaching staff of 560 madrassas have pay scales similar to those in central government-run secondary schools...," he said.
According to a government spokesman, there are 150 unofficial madrassas in Gorakhpur, 100 in Lucknow, Azamgarh, Varanasi, and Mau, while Aligarh has 90, Kanpur (85), Prayagraj (70), and Agra (35).
Under the madrasa modernisation scheme, 744 madrassas are given grants for shiksha mitra, and a scholarship is given to meritorious students of all registered madrasas.
The "unrecognised madrasas" will now be recognised by the Board of Madrassa Education once they meet "government mandated requirements" such as providing basic facilities for running madrassas, such as a classroom, table, bench, chairs for students, proper lights fans, toilets, and others.
Further, they can also apply for wages for teaching and non-teaching employees.
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