Need exists for the main stream modern education
NOT
Retrogressive Madrasa education
Mohammedan college of law, in other words, the Calcutta Alia Madrasa was established in 1780 AD. Then the lingua franca were Arbi and Farsi. This establishment of the madrasa was expected to fill the need for educated Indians who could assist the East India Company in ruling the new and expanding territory and act as interface with Delhi. In 1837, the East India Company changed the language policy and decided on English as the preffered language, and progressively enforced compulsory learning of english for employment in government establishments. This expired the need for madrasa education and the system reoriented itself into manufacturing Mullahs only.
None amongst the civil muslim society, then, opined that, the muslims need english and modern education, and that the need for madrasa or religious instruction is unnecessery. Raja Rammohan Roy unerringly insisted on similar system of education. In 1823, when the East Indian Company attempted initiation of a second sanskrit college, he had strongly objected to the move, and wrote to the governor in strong protest. In his letter, he demanded, that, Indians do not need religious oriented education, the need was for education in science and modern thoughts and english.One wonders in admiration and simultaneously feels deep shame,that, the kind of progressive thought that Raja exhibited 185 years ago, none amongst the muslim society could think of it even now. A few did muster gumption to murmur that modern education is good, but none had the audacity to say that, madrasa education is retrogressive. Consequently, the hindu civil society have diversified the religious oriented instruction, the 'Tol' system from the main stream education, the retrogressive madrasa education continues to oppress the muslim society, under the juggernaut.
Private madrasas number about 5000. Government recognised madrasa and high madrasa and senior madrasas and the private(kharija) madrasa, have some difference in syllabi, but both systems are basically religious oriented. Both systems are retrogressive and act as a major hindrance to the progress and advancement of the community. Shame abounds, to think, that, the governments are appeasing and encouraging this dangerous system. In this connection, the role of the left front government is more destructive than the congress. In 1947, the high and senior madrasas numbered 186. During the 30 years of congress regime, in 1976-77 the number rose to 238. Left front government approved five fold increase. Now, there are 506 of them.
The state is expected to encourage and bring awareness of people to embrace modern education in stead of religious orientation and to bring this within easy reach of the masses. Post independence, the governments have failed and neglected this sacred duty and have patronised lavishly the religious form of instruction, solely to paliate and appease the mullacracy, in the unreal belief, that, the muslim masses are under the thumb of the clergy and the demographic votebank artists, posing as thought leaders have succumbed, to the detriment of the whole society- particularly the muslims. Consequently, the national integrity has suffered, national policy of secularism has been enfeebled and has weakened the nation- while the greatest burden of suffering is inflicted on muslims, who are being dragged into the mire of dogmatism, retrogression, decay in life style in totality and perpetually.
The principal ruling pparty, namely the CPM contains a major rift amongst their opinion makers, in the matter of patronising the madrasa education. Those to whom the pristine communist idea and ideals were relevant, raised protest in party fora in consequence of which, the party and the government decided not to encourage new madrasas and simultaneously to modernise the madrasa education system.This resulted in a stay for about a decade, in not approving new madrasas and though slow, but effective steps were taken towards incorporation of modern education. A section of renegades containing opportunists and vote bank artists compelled the government to resile. The government submitted to the mullahcracy and deferred the modernisation of the syllabi and reinstalled the harmful system of establishment of new madrasas in muslim populated areas.2008-09 budget found substantial enhancement in the grant for madrasa education. Previous years approval of 209 crore rupees was enhanced to Rs. 319 crores, a record increase of 54.11%. Stay in modernisation of the system and rise in the number of old style madrasas express a desire of relegating the muslim masses to greater retrogression. Even this did not meet a single murmur of protest from the community. It is difficult to explain the extent of damage caused by the madrasa system, how it pushes the masses to further darkness, deprivation and despair. A look at the syllabi could throw some illumination on the irrelevance of the education 1400 years after the initiation.
Madrasas recognised and aided by the government are minly of two types :- (1) High Madrasa, (2) Senior madrasa. The High madrasa have three levels-- the junior high madrasa; high madrasa; and higher secondery. Senior madrasa have four levels-- Alim; Fazil; Kamil; MM. The high madrasa syllabi have received some modernisation courtsey the left front, though not to desirable extent. Thus the madrasa education board syllabi for madrasas are at disadvantage compared to the Schhol final syllabus products. In senior madrasas, the students study together from standard one to the Alim(10 th class) stage. Left front government have conceeded the Alim as equivalent to school final. This has appeased the mullahs but has irreparably damaged the community. Syllabus for Alim is very much inferior compared to the school final syllabus. The Alim syllabus is as follows:-Total marks 900, out of which modern education is for 550 marks and Islamic and Arabic education is for 350 marks. Bengali-100; English-100;Mathematics-100; Physical sciences-50; life sciences-50; History-100; Geography-50; along with Islamic education as Arabic-100; Hadis-100; Tafseer-100 and Wofeka-50. Can we expect comparative equivalence between the products of these two syllabi ?
Fazil has been deemed equivalent to Higher Secondery. The mullahcracy has raised demands for such a recognition. The Syllabus is as follows:- Arabic-200; English-200; Islamic studies (Hadis and Tafseer)-200; a combination-Arts/Science/
Kamil: Madrasa education board syllabus calls this syllabus as equivalent to B.A. The syllabus is as follows:-
Part one: English—50, Bengali/Urdu-50, Environment-50 ( these three are analoguous to Calcutta University); Islamic studies-100, Arabic literature-100(analoguous to CU) and one elective subject-100, to be selected from (a)general history, (b) Islamic history, (c) civics, (d) computer science, (e) bengali, (f) urdu. Total for part one-450.
Kamil Part 2: (1) Islamic studies-200,(2) Arabic literature-200, (3) an elective-any one of six above-200.Total marks-600.
Kamil Part 3:
(1) Islamic studies-100,
(2) Arabic literature-100,
(3) an elective as above. Total-300.
Kamil-general the total marks(parts 1,2 and 3)--1350
Kamil equivalent to BA (hons)- Part one:
(1) English-50,
(2) Bengali/Urdu-50,
(3) Environment-50,
(4) Elective (Arabic literature/Islamic studies)-100,
(5) Elective-similar to kamil general- any of the six-100. Total-350
Part Two(hons)-
(1) Islamic Studies or literature- four papers- 400;
(2) Elective-Islamic studies/Arabic literature-200;
(3) Elective subject-any one of six akin to part one-200. Total-800
Part Three(hons)- Islamic studies (4 papers)- 4x100—400
Kamil hons total ( parts 1,2 and 3)--350+800+400--1550
Mumtazul Muhaddeshin(MM)- Two years course-claimed to be equivalent to MA.
Part one: Hadis orArabic literature or Tarikh-e-Islam( Islamic History)- Five papers-5x100=500
Part two: Similar to part one, any one of the three- 5x100=500.
Muslim populated localities have suffered due to government indifference and discrimination, and have fewer schools and colleges; and complimented by hundreds of high-madras and senior madrasas and few thousands of KHARIJA madrasas have relegated the education system to an abyss. The main reason of the dereliction of the muslim community is the madrasa education system and the favour the system finds amongst the community- inspired by the mullahcracy- who have now grown into a new class of opinion makers, aided and abetted by the politicians. Voices must needs be raised in derating madrasa system and in enlisting modern higher education.
