HYDERABAD: Despite the Central government clearing the air on keeping madrasas out of the purview of the Right to Education Act, representatives of madrasas are skeptical. Citing the threat posed to the autonomy of these centres of learning, the demand is to categorise madrasas as minority institutions under the Act instead of being grouped under private institutions.Abdur Rahim Qureshi, assistant general secretary, All-India Muslim Personal Law Board points out that the assurance given by the Centre on not interfering with madrasas is at the discretion of state government to follow. “Following the guidelines laid down by the RTE such as enrolment of 25 per cent students from the neighbourhood and constituting a management committee which has 75 per cent members from parents is impossible for madrasas to implement. The problem is that after implementation of the RTE by 2014, madrasas could be deemed illegal for not following guidelines or implementing the state syllabus,” he added.Deeni Madrasa Board organiser Maulana Maqsood Yamani said, “We are not looking for government funding for madrasas. We want to preserve the system of religious education, which will be lost if madrasas are included in the RTE.” He also said it was necessary for madrasas to maintain autonomy to ensure religious discourse is imparted through education.The AIMPLB indicated that madrasas should be recognized separately as minority institution, failing to do which might threaten the legality of these institutions. Qureshi said a major protest will be launched after Ramzan, if the government fails to take any action. The number of functional madrasas is a little over 500 across the state while official figures peg it at above 7000, including part-time classes conducted at various mosques.
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