100 madrasas to be recognised

The newly recognised madrasas will join mainstream educational institutions in May.

For years now, more than a dozen applications for recognition are pending with the West Bengal Board of Madrasa Education. Sources said the government stopped the process in 2000. At that time, there were around 400 pending applications. A state minorities department official said these madrasas will be given priority when approval is offered to the 100 madrasas.

At present, the government-regulated madrasa board takes care of 508 madrasas.

The new madrasas will have to recruit teachers selected by the state government.

The state government also plans to rope in 400 madrasas that refused to take in teachers appointed by the former.

Minister of State for Minorities and Madrasa Education Abdus Sattar said around 400 madrasa shiksha kendras will be set up in the state.

While the implementation of the long-pending decision is expected to improve academic standards in 500 madrasas, the move comes as a challenge for thousands of privately managed madrasas across the state.

Though state-induced reforms in madrasa education have found takers, there is still a large fraction of minorities that see state intervention as interference in the teaching of Islamic theology.

With panchayat elections scheduled for May, the department has taken up a target of offering around Rs 28 crore (in coordination with the Union government) as educational assistance to minorities.