<p>Uttarakhand Madrassa Education Board (UMEB) is gearing up to introduce Sanskrit as a mandatory subject in 416 madrassas across the state, A formal proposal has also been prepared for the same. The board is planning to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Uttarakhand’s Sanskrit department to introduce this new addition. Besides Sanskrit, the board is looking forward to include computer studies in the curriculum to enhance the academic offerings for madrassa students.</p>
<p>”We introduced the NCERT syllabus in madrassas, and this year the students achieved over 95% results. They have performed exceptionally well, and if Sanskrit is added to their curriculum, it will help them immensely in their educational growth,” UMEB chairperson Mufti Shamoon Qasmi told Times Of India.</p>
<p>The initiative’s proposal has already been prepared, and discussions are underway with the Sanskrit department. “We have held multiple meetings with officials from the Sanskrit department, and we are optimistic about receiving a positive response soon,” Qasmi added.</p>
<p>In September 2023, UMEB had cleared a proposal to introduce both Sanskrit and computer science as optional subjects from the next academic session. However, the project has not yet started due to financial constraints. The authorities remain hopeful that the project will gain momentum in the upcoming months.</p>
<p>As of now, 416 madrassas are registered with the UMEB, serving over 70,000 students. In addition to this, more madrassas have signed up for registration, and their number is expected to only increase in the coming years. The madrassas will start recruiting Sanskrit teachers to implement the new curriculum once state government grants its approval, the report noted.</p>
<p>Highlighting the advantages of teaching Sanskrit, Qasmi said, “Arabic is already being taught in over 100 madrassas, and it will be heartening if Sanskrit classes can commence soon. Having both maulvis and pandits teaching will significantly aid in grooming our students”.</p>
<p>Waqf board chairperson Shadab Shams told TOI that it was planing to transform all 117 madrassas into model institutions. He also said that the board has reached out to ex-servicemen to help them inculcate a sense of nationalism among the students studying at madrassas.</p>
<p>”We are planning to transform all 117 madrassas registered with us into model institutions. We’ve also reached out to ex-servicemen to help instil a sense of nationalism among the students. There are around 1,000 madrassas in Uttarakhand, and as more register with us, we aim to upgrade them,” he said.</p>
<p>Shams added that Sanskrit would become a mandatory subject for students from Classes 5 to 8 if their proposal is approved. He also said that the board’s target is to introduce Sanskrit from the next session onwards. “Our goal is the holistic development of our students. We want them to excel in various fields, which requires quality education. Sanskrit and Arabic are ancient languages, and it is important for students to learn both. If everything falls into place, we hope to introduce Sanskrit from the next academic session,” Shams added.</p>
<p>As per the board’s initial plan, Sanskrit instruction will be first rolled out in four selected institutions. These include the madrassa in Dehradun’s Muslim colony, Rehmannia Madrassa in Khatima (US Nagar), Rahmania Madrassa in Roorkee, and Jama Masjid Madrassa at Ramnagar. It also believes this pilot initiative will set the stage for broader implementation across the state’s registered madrassas.</p>