Arjun to keep Atal promise: 1.2 lakh new Urdu teachers

However, no additional expense might be necessary for appointment of Urdu teachers—around 90,000—at primary and upper primary school levels. These schools come under the ambit of the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA), which is already well-funded. The Government has made provision for two teachers in every primary school and three teachers in each upper primary school under the programme. At least one of these, in the 85 districts mentioned earlier, should ideally be teaching Urdu as under the SSA, the medium of instruction has to be the mother-tongue.

However, while primary or upper primary Urdu teachers might not prove difficult to find, the Ministry may run into a problem over finding eligible teachers for the secondary level. It seems to have little clue right now about where to find them. Another major point of discussion at the July 3 convention would be ‘‘mainstreaming of traditional education’’. While efforts were made earlier to introduce more ‘‘technical’’ and ‘‘modern’’ education in madarsas throughout the country, Arjun Singh wants to give the plan a more coherent shape.

Modern subjects such as science, mathematics and even vocational education might be introduced in religious schools in a more organised manner. The Ministry plans to hold talks with major Muslim religious schools, including Dar-ul-ulums like Deobandh, to see what can be done about this. This is in line with the UPA’s Common Minimum Programme, which promises to provide more modern and technical education in minority institutions and calls for setting up a commission on minority education.

Among those who would attend the convention are intellectuals from minority communities, including Sikhs, Jains, Muslims and Christians, and those who have been associated with minority education. They include Rafiq Zakaria, Mushirul Hasan, Irfan Habib, Salman Khursheed, the Archbishop of Delhi and Professor Yash Pal.