What is a madrassa?

The Centre has reiterated that there is no reason to to de-recognise madrassas which give students education only on religion, saying madrassas "are a reality of India" and that "there should be no politics on the issue." The Maharashtra government opines that madrassas which do not teach primary subjects such as English, Maths and Science would be considered as "non-schools" and children studying in them as "out of school" students.

What is a madrassa? In the West, the word usually refers to a specific type of religious school or college for the study of the Islamic religion, though this may not be the only subject studied. Not all students in madrasas are Muslims; there is also a modern curriculum. In India the majority of these schools follow the Hanafi school of thought.

The religious establishment forms part of the mainly two large divisions within the country, namely the Deobandis, who dominate in numbers (of whom the Darul Uloom Deoband constitutes one of the biggest madrasas) and the Barelvis, who also make up a sizeable portion (Sufi-oriented). Central government’s Scheme To Provide Quality Education In Madrasas (SPQEM) seeks to bring about qualitative improvement in Madrasas to enable Muslim children attain standards of the national education system in formal education subjects.

The unique feature of this modified scheme is that it encourages linkage of Madrasas with National Institute for Open Schooling (NIOS), as accredited centres for providing formal education, which will enable children studying in such Madrasas to get certification for class 5, 8, 10 and 12. The scheme also envisages providing science and computer labs with annual maintenance costs in the secondary and higher secondary stage madrasas.

There is also a provision of Science/Mathematics kits in primary/upper primary level madrassas. Dr Arshad Alam, who teaches at the Centre for Jawaharlal Nehru Studies at the Jamia Millia Islamia recently wrote on the issue in his book titled, Inside A Madrassa: Knowledge, Power and Islamic Identity In India, says that while madrassas are important, it is essential that they are brought under the control of the State so that education imparted there is modernised.