Lucknow: The Uttar Pradesh government’s Minority Welfare Department has directed madrasas in the state to submit proof of their minority institution status to qualify for scholarships. However, this demand contradicts the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board Act of 2004, which already recognizes madrasas as minority institutions.
Madrasas in Uttar Pradesh have long benefited from pre-matric and matric scholarship schemes, with approximately 16,460 madrasas recognized by the state board and 560 receiving financial aid. The new directive has left madrasa administrators perplexed, as they have never been required to furnish such certificates before.
The National Informatics Centre (NIC) provided a list of educational institutions to the Minority Welfare Department for verification, prompting district officials to seek minority status certificates from madrasas. Critics argue that this move is unnecessary and appears to be a deliberate attempt to deny scholarships to madrasa students.
Diwan Saheb Jamal Khan, General Secretary of the Uttar Pradesh Teachers Association Madaris-e-Arabiya, has opposed the directive, stating that the Madrasa Education Board Act automatically grants madrasas minority status, making additional certification redundant. He emphasized that madrasas have always been established and managed by Muslim minorities.
Observers believe this sudden requirement is politically motivated and part of a larger effort to marginalize the Muslim community by limiting their access to educational support. Many have raised concerns over the government’s intentions, questioning why this demand has surfaced now despite madrasas consistently receiving scholarships in the past.
