However, college students allege that despite their wish to learn computers, the state government is yet to do anything.

About 10 computers were offered to the Calcutta Madrasa College by the state ministry for minorities in February 2006.

Since then the machines have been lying idle as the college has been unable to get affiliations from various institutes to start a computer course.

“We are awaiting government notification. Once that is done, we will be in a position to start our own professional courses. The Act has provisions for doing so,” said Tanvir Ahmed, acting principal of the college. Now bestowed with the university status, things are expected to move faster.

The course will prove a boon for the madrasa pass-outs as this may enhance their chances of getting jobs not only across the country but in West Asia as well.

“After the computers came in, nothing has been done. The machines are of no use to us. We have made several requests to the officials and the ministry of minorities development and welfare and madrasa education in the past in this regard. But nothing happened,” S Ali, a representative of the state madrasa students’ union told The Indian Express.