Union Minister of Human Resource Development, Kapil Sibal has said that the educational development of the minorities is lagging far behind and there is a need to have targeted approach along with participation and coordination with the State Governments and civil society, so that the benefits of various schemes reach the minority communities.

 

The HRD Minister observed that on the contrary, during the last three years, a number of reforms have been initiated in the school education as also in the higher education sector such as the enactment and enforcement of the RTE Act, launch of Saakshar Bharat, academic and governance reforms in higher education including setting up of more than 100 new Central Educational Institutions, National Vocational Education Qualification Framework, etc.

Addressing a meeting of the National Monitoring Committee for Minorities’ Education (NMCME) in the capital on Monday, Sibal desired that the Committee would be monitoring the ongoing schemes as also advising and recommending to the Government on issues relating to education of minorities.

The Minister also said from his experiences that there is a need to target theschemes towards habitations dominated by the minorities. “Secondly, since most of the schemes are implemented through the State Governments, there is a need for the State Governments to take proactive steps to ensure proper implementation of theschemes. Thirdly, we should also put in place a system of regular monitoring and field visits to various states and even districts, through the Standing Committee and by Sub-Committees on different areas whose reports should be placed before the National Monitoring Committee for Minorities’ Education”, Sibal added

The Members raised concerns regarding the delays in implementation of the variousschemes at the field level by the states. Some of their recommendations were that the schemes should be given wider publicity, the Mid-Day-Meal scheme should be extended to all schools, more Urdu teachers should be appointed, the requirement of NOCs from states for opening new minority educational institutions should be dispensed with, the number and quantum of scholarships aimed towards minorities should be enhanced.

The Members also welcomed the instructions issued in respect of equivalence of certificates/qualifications of the Madrasa Boards. Those certificates which have been granted equivalence by the State Education Boards to that of their Secondary and Senior Secondary qualification have been equated with corresponding levels of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Council of Board of School Education in India (COBSE) and other School Examination Boards, for the purpose of employment and entry to higher levels of education.

The Members also appreciated that National Council for Promotion of Urdu Language (NCPUL) which is actively involved in promoting, developing and propagating Urdu and said that NCPUL should be involved in skill development to a large extent.