The Yogi government is planning on introducing a dress code for students studying in madarsas so that they are no longer set apart from other school students, PTI has reported.
As per a statement given by the state’s Muslim Waqf and Haj minister – Mohsin Raza, the UP government is aiming to bring madarsas on par with other educational institutes in every sense. Hence they would seek to make the clothes worn by madarsa students more formal that the kurta-payjama which is currently worn by them. He also stated that the government might fund the new clothes.
Raza though didn’t make clear what the new dress code would be, but claimed that it would be proposed in the near future.
As per a DNA report, the introduction of the dress code would be a collective effort, and a decision would be taken after consulting with the parents and madarsa management. The report also stated that it wasn’t clear whether the new dress code would have room for the skull caps and hijab commonly worn by the madarsa students.
Incidentally such a move would come about a month after the state cabinet led by CM Yogi introduced NCERT books in madarsas, which would be made available in languages like English, Hindi and Urdu. It was also reported that subjects like science, mathematics and computers would also be introduced in the madrasa curriculum.
It might be noted that ever since the Yogi government came to power in Uttar Pradesh, it has endeavoured to inculcate a few mainstream norms in the state aided madarsas.
The state government had issued a circular last year, instructing the state-aided madarsas to register on the newly launched “Madarsa Portal”. After registering there, the madarsas were required to upload the details of the teachers, support staff and their infrastructure.
The madarsas though didn’t take it seriously and it was reported that the Yogi government was strongly considering about cancelling the accreditation of 2,682 madarsas after they failed to submit their details on the portal despite several reminders.
