LUCKNOW: In a strong move to mainstream Muslim education in Uttar Pradesh, students in the state’s 16,586 madrassas will be studying modern and standardized NCERT books in the Urdu language when they begin their academic session of 201819, with compulsory classes in maths, science, English, computer science, social and home sciences.

Not just this, syllabus for `deeniyat’ (religion) too would be revised with the subject vetted across standards I to XII by faculties from Aligarh Muslim University , Lucknow University, Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Urdu, Arabi, Farsi University , Lucknow-based Integral University, Nadwatul-Ulama and other leading seminaries.

Madrassas at primary and junior level -up to class VIII -have modern subjects as compulsory . But, these are optional at the higher secondary level, between classes IX and XII.While, technically , Madrassas Board is at par with other boards, in the absence of compulsory education in modern subjects, madrassa students don’t get admission into mainstream institutions. Now, the process has begun to make two modern subjects compulsory for all, for which NCERT books would be used.

The government said it’s taking the step to increase employment opportunities of madrassa students by making them capable of taking competitive examinations. Currently , mad rassa students cannot enter regular or mainstream colleges with their emphasis on religious education alone.

A draft of syllabus revamp, currently in its final stages, has been prepared by the minority welfare department along with UP Board of Madrassa Education, and will be finalised soon after a meeting with stakeholders, including madrassa principals, teachers and even lay people, in November-December.

Principal secretary , UP department of minority welfare and waqf, Monica S Garg, said, “The structural revamping is being done at two levels. The first includes re-organisation of `deeniyat’ syllabus for standards I to XII with no change in their topics of study. It will only be spread more evenly , and according to the age and standard of a student with respect to a topic of study.” Subjects like English, maths, science, com puter science, social science and home science would be included in all classes.

“For this, NCERT books in Urdu are being considered,” said registrar of UP Board of Madrassa Education, Rahul Gupta.

Official statistics say there are about 19,213 madrassas in UP that are registered with the Madrassa Board, of which around 16,586 have locked in their final details with its portal that was launched in August.