The state government is exploring ways to adjust around 22,000 teachers who were rendered jobless after the Madrasa Modernisation Scheme was discontinued by the Centre and the state two years back, minority affairs minister Danish Azad Ansari said. These teachers, engaged in imparting modern and technical education at madrasas under the scheme, used to get an honorarium ranging from Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000.

The in-principal approval to adjust them was decided in a recent review meeting with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, sources said, adding that the minority affairs department will have to make a detailed action plan to chalk out ways for their adjustment.

“It was a Central government scheme for madrasa modernisation, where teachers were hired to impart modern education like Maths, Computer Science, Science to the students. The teachers used to receive an honorarium for their work. It was a centrally-funded scheme but the state government used to give some additional funds. However, the scheme was discontinued in 2022-23 by the Centre and later by the Uttar Pradesh government,” Ansari said.

“Along the lines of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision, the state government is considering adjusting these teachers. It is preliminary right now and the minority affairs department will soon prepare an action plan to chalk out ways for their adjustment,” he added.

The Madrasa Modernisation Scheme was launched by Centre in 1993 and was later renamed “Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasa” in 2008. The scheme was initially fully funded by the Central government but later the UP government decided to give some additional funds, officials said.

There are around 16,000 madrasas in the state.