Is Sanskrit Mandatory for Students in Madrassas? Here Is What Uttarakhand's Proposal Plans to Do

The Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board (UMEB) has prepared a proposal to make Sanskrit a mandatory subject in madrassas across the state. This plan involves signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the state's Sanskrit department. In addition to Sanskrit, there are discussions to introduce computer studies to enhance the educational opportunities for madrassa students.

Waqf Board Chairperson Shadab Shams confirmed that if the government approves the proposal, Sanskrit will be compulsory for students in classes 5-8. He emphasized the need for a well-rounded education, pointing out that both Sanskrit and Arabic are ancient languages and valuable for students to learn. Shams hopes this initiative will begin in the next academic session.

UMEB Chairperson Mufti Shamoon Qasmi highlighted that madrassas recently adopted the NCERT syllabus, leading to strong academic performance, with students achieving over 95% in recent exams. He believes adding Sanskrit to the curriculum will further support their educational growth. Discussions with officials from the Sanskrit department have been positive, and the board expects an official response soon.

Currently, there are 416 madrassas registered with UMEB, serving over 70,000 students. If the government approves the proposal, the recruitment of Sanskrit teachers will begin. Arabic is already part of the curriculum in more than 100 madrassas, and the board hopes to start Sanskrit classes soon.

The initial rollout is planned for four madrassas: one in Dehradun’s Muslim colony, Rahmania Madrassa in Roorkee, Rehmannia Madrassa in Khatima, and Jama Masjid Madrassa in Ramnagar. The board believes this pilot program will pave the way for broader implementation in the state's registered madrassas.

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