K'taka not to take over madrasas, will retain lesson on Tipu Sultan

Bengaluru, March 29 (IANS) Karnataka Education Minister B.C. Nagesh has clarified that there is no proposal before the government to take over Madrasas, where minority Muslim students study.

"We have not discussed anything with Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in this regard," he said.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Nagesh, however, said that the required education and skill set is not being imparted to students in madrasas. The education imparted is not suitable for the competitive world. If they (madrasas) come forward, it can be considered, he said.

The students studying in madrasas should get the education that is being provided to other children. The curriculum which is taught in the education department is not there in madrasas, Nagesh said.

The minority department is running madrasas. The children studying there should become doctors, artists and engineers like any other students, he underlined.

Commenting on rumours of the lesson on erstwhile king of Mysuru, Tipu Sultan being dropped from the school syllabus, the Minister said, there is no such plan. However, he said there are certain things which are written on the basis of imagination. The facts which are baseless and are written without proof would be removed, he said.

The content which has documentary and historical proof will have to be prescribed for children, he said and assured that he will answer all the questions in this regard next week. The discussion on this matter is a figment of somebody's imagination. The lesson on Tipu Sultan will not be dropped from the syllabus, he reiterated.

"Our intention is to educate children on real history. If any proof is available for the title of 'Lion of Mysuru' given to Tipu Sultan, it will be retained. The glorification part would be taken off," minister Nagesh maintained.

Talking about the absence of 20,994 students from SSLC (class 10) examination, he said, there is no connection between hijab and absence of students. More number of students got enrolled thinking that they will be passed without examination like last year, he maintained.