Muslim MPs give their thoughts on reforming madrasas

New Delhi: The Centre’s proposal to form a Central Madrasa Board got mixed responses from 18 Muslim MPs who met Human Resources Development Minister Kapil Sibal on Saturday.

"Four to five MPs suggested that such a board should not be formed. There were an equal number of MPs who supported such a body while about ten of them said the draft should be recast," said HRD Minister Kapil Sibal.

Most MPs felt that the board should be well represented from all sects from the community. "I have agreed to their views and asked them to give their suggestions within a month on how the board should be formed. After we get their suggestions, we will incorporate them in the draft bill and circulate for consensus," he said.

According to a 2009 Bill, the proposed board will standardise non-religious aspects of Madrasa education. It will also recommend introduction of modern textbooks.

The proposed Board will consist of a chairperson and 15 members. The members will include three Muslim Islamic scholars--one each from Deoband school, Barelvi school and Ahi-i-Hadith school.

The draft bill said that a religious scholar of Imam Shafai Sect, a scholar from Shia sect and another from Dawoodi Bohra sect will be members of the proposed body. One member should be a Muslim scholar of the traditional madrasa education.

Six members will be Muslims who have made outstanding contributions in the field of social sciences, humanities, sciences and education, the draft bill said. One member will be a Muslim philanthropist with contribution to education of Muslims.

The chairperson and other board members will be appointed for a period of three years. The chairperson should be an educationist of eminence, integrity and standing with distinguished contributions, the draft Bill says.

Sibal said the government is in no hurry to introduce the Bill. "We will evolve consensus and then we will move forward. The Muslim community should not think that there is any interference from the government in the religious teaching. If the community does not want, we will scrap the Bill."