A Year-long Series on Education, Sponsored by The Aligarh Forum : – A Mirror on our Efforts, our Successes & our Shortcomings ; Stories of triumphs, tribulations and struggles of the Indian Muslims in improving their educational status, in illiteracy alleviation, and in their professional and social uplift.
Al-Ameen Mission has announced to bear all costs of his higher studies
By Zaidul Haque, TwoCircles.net,
Kolkata: While the number of Hindu students in High Madrasa Examination in West Bengal has increased over the years, Brajeswar Maji of Khalatpur High Madrasa in Howrah district has created history this year. He has got Rank 96 in the High Madarsa Examination 2012 – this is the first time a Hindu student has secured rank within top 100. The results of High Madrasa Examination (Equivalent to Secondary Standard) were announced on 21st May 2012.
The 1st rank has gone to two students, both in Malda — Muhammad Ahmadullah of N.M.S High Madrasa and Monika Begum of Jatradanga High Madarsa. They have got 91.5% marks.
Brajeswar Maji
Ahmadullah comes from a poor family. His father runs a small grocery shop in his village. He wants to be doctor in future. Monika Khatun’s father is a retired School Teacher. She wants to be school teacher of Science stream. The second position in top 100 has been captured by Jyotsna Khatun of Amirabad High Madrasa. There is no electricity in her home. She studies in lantern (Kerosin Lamp) at night and walks 3 Km to attend madrasa in the day. She wants to be a teacher also.
This year the total number of students at High Madrasa Examination has decreased but the number of Hindu students has just doubled. This year total number of High Madrasa students is 39, 589 whereas in 2011 it was 39,976. The total number of Non-Muslim students appeared this year is 1590. Among them, SCs are 813, ST 241 and Hindu OBCs 536. Last year SCs were 494 and STs 128.
According to source of West Bengal Madrasa Board there are four High Madrasas in the state where Muslim students are in minority. They are Kasba MM High Madrassa in Uttar Dinajpur district, Ekmukha Safiabad High Madrassa in Cooch Behar district, Orgram Chatuspalli High Madrassa at Burdwan district and Chandrakona Islamia High Madrassa at West Midnapore district.
Monika Begum
The increase in the number of Hindu students in high Madrasas in West Bengal began a few years back when Arabic subject was made optional. Now in High Madrasa Examination Syllabus the Arabic is not Compulsory, students can take Arabic or Islamic Parichay (Knowledge of Islam), which is basically history of Islam in Bengali language. Due to same value High Madrasa Certificate & Madhyamik (secondary Standard) of School Certificate in the government level, Hindu students are taking admission in Madrasa if it is nearer to their homes than general schools. After formation of the Madrasa Service Commission to recruit teachers in Government aided High Madrasas, candidates from any community can apply for teachers posts.
About Brajeswar Maji
Brajeswar Maji lost his father in his childhood when he was 3 years old. He resides at Village Ghola-Balichawk, just beside the Khalatpur Village where located the Khalatpur High Madrasa. His father late Keshab Maji worked at house. He would make Handloom saree etc. After his death Handloom works continued by Brajeswar’s mother Hema Maji. Brajeswar’s elder brother Subhankar Maji is a laborer at a gold factory in Kolkata. Hema Maji decided to educate her youngest son and admitted in Class five at Khalatpur High Madrasa Madrasa. When he was admitted, Arabic was compulsory, so he learnt it as a subject. Couple of years back, the subject was made optional.
Brajeswar knew about his rank in the results from TCN correspondent. He was told that he has made a history in Madrasa Education in West Bengal in 2012. He stood rank 96 and bagged 654 Marks, 81.75%. He got highest number in Life Science 94, but second highest number for Islamic Parichay (Knowledge of Islam) 93. He got 80 in Bengali, 73 in English, 84 in Mathematics, 83 in Physical Science, 72 in Geography, 75 in History.
Brajeswar told TCN that, he never feel uneasiness to read Arabic or Islamic History. He learned so many manners from Holy Prophet’s life in the lessons. He believed Hazrat Muhammad was not a general man, he is Messenger of God to mankind.
Brajeswar’s ambition is to be Engineer. His mother inspired him to take science stream to become an Engineer. So, he has taken admission in Science stream in his own Khalatpur Madrasa. Khalatpur Madrasa is recognized as High Madrasa by the West Bengal Board of Madrasa Education and Higher Secondary School by the West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education both.
Ahmadullah
Brajeswar likes Madrasa and he decided to take special coaching of WBJEE at adjourning Al-Ameen Mission campus.
Headmaster of the Khalatpur High Madrasa M Nurul Islam told TCN that, Brajeswar was admitted in class five. He came from a very poor Hindu OBC family. Due to his poverty all teachers assisted him and now he got success in high Madrasa Examination. Mr Nurul Islam, who is also Secretary of Al-Ameen Mission said, Al-Ameen Mission will bear all cost for Brakeswar’s higher study. Al-Ameen Mission will provide him WBJEE coaching for absolutely free. If he gets success in WBJEE, Al-Ameen Mission will bear all costs to get him admitted in engineering or medical college. Nurul Islam also said, he wants to set an example that, Hindu students can success in their life while remaining in a Muslim environment, where we can prove Islam so liberal to the mankind.