A New Opening for Madaris

Madaris (plural of Madrasa) have played a vital role in Muslim history. Being the place where knowledge is imparted, Madrasa has always been held in high esteem. Its current relative marginalization or irrelevance is a new phenomenon which began with the British attempt at creating duality in our educational system. The British, instead of introducing science, technology and social sciences in Madaris and Pathshalas and thus strengthening the old system with new blood, imposed their educational system on India and marginalized the native one. The duality they created did not affect only our education system but gradually it also created a sort of duality in every walk of life. The country continues to suffer from the British created duality to date, because the Independent India decided to carry on with it.

Madrasa education has seen many ups and down. During the Muslim period Madaris were not merely “religious seminaries” imparting religious education. Instead, they taught the then contemporary subjects and thus enabled their graduates to be fully useful to the societies they lived in. The rulers, too, were alive to the changing realities and used to bring about necessary changes in Madrasa syllabi to maintain their relevance and utility. Sikandar Lodi, Akbar and Aurangzeb specially took keen interest in the development of Madaris and their syllabi.

With the defeat of the Muslims in the 1857 uprising against the British, there began a new phase in Madrasa education. Until then Madrasa graduates were absorbed in government services. The marginalization of Madaris, no doubt, had begun much before 1857, in fact, it started with Macaulay’s Minutes but the bad effect of the new education policy of the colonialists began to be specially felt in the last quarter of the 19^th century.

The ulama had participated overwhelmingly in the 1857 uprising which explains the severe British reprisal against them. They, however, remained steadfast in adverse circumstances and decided to open Madaris with a view to preserving the religious identity of the Muslims. They adopted a syllabus which focused on religious subjects and specially rejected the English language and other contemporary subjects and thus gradually became irrelevant in the job market. The syllabi taught in the times of Sikandar Lodi, Akbar and Aurangzeb used to prepare and produce graduates who knew both the religion and the world (Deen and Duniya). But the post 1857 syllabi, due to a variety of reasons, lost the fine old balance.

Today a new opening is available to Madaris that they need to capitalize on in order to prove their relevance and utility. National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) seems to be a God-sent opportunity for Madaris to equip their graduates with the knowledge of contemporary subjects without losing their focus on religious studies.

NIOS is a Government of India undertaking but is autonomous in its functioning. It is a very flexible mode of distance education designed to help those who have been left behind in the race of life. A person of any age can take admission in courses offered by NIOS and pass the examination in 9 chances spread over five years. The certificate of NIOS is recognized both for job and further education.

NIOS has a window of opportunity for the Madaris willing to inculcate contemporary subjects to their wards. They can have the NIOS centre at their premises, conduct the examination for it and thus give their wards an opportunity to also have the degrees of High School and +2 by the time they pass their Alimiya and Fadeelah.

The good thing about NIOS is that it has a great deal of flexibility. Moreover, it has translated all its courses in Urdu which will suit the Madrasa students. Today many reputed Madaris teach Hindi, English, Mathematics and one or another subject of social sciences. If these Madaris look at the options offered by NIOS, they would discover that with little efforts they could open a window of opportunity for their wards to learn contemporary subjects and obtain the degree of High School or +2.

[June, 2004]