In Uttar Pradesh, NCERT (National Council of Educational Research and Training) books are no longer being distributed in madrasas, and the NCERT syllabus is currently not being implemented. Minority Welfare Minister OP Rajbhar has expressed his dissatisfaction over the sudden disappearance of the books. In response, he wrote a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary, seeking clarification on why the textbooks were withdrawn. Despite over two and a half months passing, the minister has yet to receive any answer.
Sources suggest that the decision to stop distributing NCERT books was made without obtaining high-level approval, leading to concerns over the abrupt disruption of the program. Rajbhar has emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in the matter, urging the department to address the issue promptly.
Despite the Supreme Court’s decision on November 5, which granted the state government the freedom to take steps for the qualitative improvement of madrasa education, the Minority Welfare Department has failed to take any action in this regard, even after more than 20 days.
The Pragatisheel Madrasa Board, established after the BJP government came to power in 2017, had previously ordered the implementation of the NCERT syllabus in madrasas during its meeting on May 15, 2018. A government order was subsequently issued on May 30, 2018, to initiate the process. In line with this, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had directed that the NCERT curriculum be implemented in all recognized and aided madrasas.
For the next three years, the Minority Welfare Department successfully distributed the NCERT books. However, in 2023, the distribution was suddenly stopped, and the department did not seek high-level approval for this decision. As of now, no concrete response or justification has been provided for halting the implementation of the NCERT curriculum in the state’s madrasas.
Sources indicate that the decision made by the Madrasa Board in 2018 to provide basic education books to subsidized madrasas was revised during a meeting on January 18, 2023, under pressure from a senior government officer. This change reversed the earlier policy of distributing NCERT books in these madrasas.
Upon taking charge of the Minority Welfare Department, Minister OP Rajbhar became aware of this shift in policy. Concerned about the non-implementation of the Chief Minister’s order regarding the NCERT curriculum, he wrote a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary on September 9, 2024. In the letter, Rajbhar sought clarification on why the NCERT syllabus had not been implemented and requested a report on the matter to ensure that the Chief Minister’s directive was enforced.
Difficulties discussed in Madrasa Board Meeting
In a meeting held on January 18, 2023, chaired by Dr Iftikhar Ahmed Javed, President of the Madrasa Education Council, it was agreed to implement the NCERT curriculum in a phased manner, similar to the approach followed by the Basic Education Department. However, during the discussions, it was revealed that there were significant difficulties in distributing the books through the Directorate. As a result, the Madrasa Board reversed its previous decision and approved the distribution of books from the Basic Education Department instead of the NCERT books.
“I have not received any reply”: Minority Welfare Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar on NCERT Books Issue
“The government’s intention is to provide modern education in madrasas. It came to my notice that the distribution of NCERT books in madrasas was stopped without the consent of the Chief Minister. I wrote a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary, seeking a report within a week. However, even after more than two and a half months, I have yet to receive any reply,” said Om Prakash Rajbhar, Minority Welfare Minister.
