A surprise inspection at a madrassa in Bahraich, Uttar Pradesh, has revealed significant shortcomings in the quality of education provided. According to officials, a spot check at Jamia Gaziya Sayyadul Uloom in the Badi Takiya area found that none of the Class 10 students were able to write their names in English.

District Minority Welfare Officer Sanjay Mishra informed reporters that the inspection took place on Monday. Besides the alarming inability of the students to write their names in English, the inspection also revealed that one of the teachers was absent, and this absence was not recorded in the attendance register. Student attendance in the Munshi, Maulvi, and Alim classes was also notably lower than the registered numbers.

Authorities have issued a warning and a notice to the madrassa, instructing them to prioritize subjects beyond Arabic and Persian. They have also warned of strict action if immediate steps are not taken to improve the overall quality of education. Notices have also been sent to the madrassa management and the absent teacher.

Qari Irfan, a faculty member at the seminary, stated that of the 15 students enrolled in Class 10, 10 were present during the inspection. He explained that the students who were asked to write in English were new to the seminary and weak in the language, which resulted in their unsatisfactory performance. Maulana Shamsuddin, the acting principal (Naib Principal) of the madrassa, added that separate classes would be held for students struggling with English.

Maulana Shamsuddin also clarified that while the madrassa imparts religious education, it also has provisions for teaching English, Hindi, Mathematics, and Science. A science teacher had been appointed, but more emphasis was historically placed on Arabic, Persian, and Urdu. However, since the implementation of the NCERT curriculum, the focus has shifted to include all subjects.

The minority welfare officer, Sanjay Mishra, expressed concern that neglecting these students would jeopardize their futures. He emphasized that such negligence in education would not be tolerated. He also stated that authorities are worried that the madrassa is not focusing on subjects other than Arabic and Persian, which is why the children's situation is so worrisome. There are 301 recognized madrassas in the Bahraich district. A recent survey also found 495 unrecognized madrassas.