The Jammu and Kashmir government is set to establish a Madrasa Board in J&K. Early this month, the J&K government constituted a committee tasked with presenting a comprehensive draft proposal for the establishment of the Madrasa Board. The committee met at the Directorate of Education office from January 3 to 7.

There are around 400 Madrasas or Darul Ulooms in Jammu and Kashmir. These institutions provide religious education to students, aiming to prepare them for roles such as Haafiz (those who memorize the Quran), Imams (prayer leaders), Aalims (scholars), and Muftis (individuals qualified to issue religious rulings).

While some Madrasas have welcomed the government's move to establish the Madrasa board, others are silent about it and are waiting for the recommendation of the Committee.

"We've been advocating for this for quite some time. We submitted a detailed proposal of 27 pages outlining the structure and framework for these madrasas. We've consistently called for the formation of such a board," says Mohammad Ashraf, leader of the Tanzeemul Madaris Ahli Sunnat Sufi in Jammu and Kashmir.

He says he has already registered around 50 madrasas with several central institutes. "Our aim is to ensure that our students receive not only religious education but also regular schooling, enabling them to excel in diverse fields," he says. "We believe that education is the most skill one can possess, and I am confident that the Madrasa Board will facilitate such holistic development," he says.

The Muthida Madaris, representing various Sufi ideologies, say they have been supporting the establishment of the Madrasa Board by the government. "We believe that the board will play a crucial role in modernizing Madrasa education and offering employment opportunities to graduates," they said. However, there has been no comment from other schools of thought regarding this matter.

The Chairperson of the J&K Waqf Board Dr Syed Darakhshan Andrabi told Outlook that they have been working for the Madrasa board for the past few years. “The government has finally taken the initiative and whatever initiative this government has taken it has ensured it will reach the logical conclusion,” she said.

She said the board would help madrasas in a great deal providing all kinds of opportunities including an option to teach science and technology. She says Muslim scholars running these madrasas have been urging the government to have a madrasa board in J&K. “It is after their insistence we took the matter with the central government and J&K administration under LG took a keen interest in it and started the process,” she said.  Andrabi said the board would provide degrees to madrasa students, the way the CBSC and Board of School Education provide. “Those who don’t affiliate with it will miss a golden chance,” she adds.