Sibal’s new target: Central Madarsa Board and broader reforms

Moving in leaps and bounds the HRD minister Kapil Sibal is fast covering all points highlighted in his 100 day agenda. Next target on his ‘to-do’ list is the centralisation of all madarsas through the setup of a Central Madarsa Board (CMB). Not lagging behind will also be the agenda of broader reforms, which he intends to broach soon.

A long standing agenda, the setting up of the CMB has been doing the talks since the times of the former HRD minister Arjun Singh. However, as the country is now undergoing major changes in the education sector, Sibal finds it an appropriate time to bring up the issue yet again, with the Central Advisory Board of Education (CABE). A meeting to discuss the issue is scheduled for the coming Monday.

The HRD ministry, on the recommendations of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions (NCMEI), intends to make the CMB an autonomous body, focusing solely on the non-theological educational parameters, adopting a non-interfering approach as far as the other activities of the madarsa are concerned.

Along with the madarsa issue, which much to the charging of the HRD Ministry is crawling as far as progress on the matter is concerned; Sibal also intends picking up another bone of contention – the setup of an autonomous regulatory authority to look over higher education and research in the country.

Many are against the set up of a single authority to govern higher education in India. They want the balance to tilt in the favour of the University Grants Commission (UGC). It is suggested that UGC be granted more powers to govern and work with AICTE, NCTE etc, and regulate the higher education institutes and policies in the country. The main reason for this, finds its foundation in the fears of centralisation of education, which might prove detrimental for state interests.

Sibal intends to set up the National Commission for Higher Education and Research based on the Yashpal Committee suggestions and will need lot of support to put this through.