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“Just by chance if there is any such aspect of “Religious education is equally important for
religion or culture within the subject the child children along with other activities but it
fails to understand because it is a formal school would have been good if it was taught once or
majorly where Sanskrit is just a language.” twice a week or in the afterschool hours.”

Nivedita C.H, a former student of Kendriya Vidyalaya R.P. Sharma, a Central Government employee

Though there are many schools offering studies on basic religious subject accounted in moderate numbers. Organisations find it difficult to run the
such as Sanskrit scriptures but parents think that they are only limited to institutions especially when the strength of the class is considerably low.
the values and looked at only from the moral point of view but nothing on Not only the funds but the trust of parents go down too which leads to
religion. “Just by chance if there is any such aspect of religion or culture closing down these institutions.However, there are some institutions which
within the subject, then the child fails to understand still continue with this noble initiative. “With the
because it is a total formal school majorly where present scenario of the concept of religion and its
Sanskrit is just a language,” says Nivedita C.H, a “With the present scenario of practices in the society, it becomes very important
former student of Kendriya Vidyalaya. On the other the concept of religion and its for us to teach our further generations true value of
hand, there are also parents who think otherwise. our culture and scriptures,” says Irfan Khan, CEO
R.P. Sharma, a central government employee states practices in the society, it of a Islamic educational trust called Dhiniyat in
that, “Religious education is equally important for becomes very important for Mumbai. He further added, “Thus the situation also
children along with other activities but it would demands a non-advertised educational institution
have been good if this kind of education was taught us to teach our further which further leads to lesser number of student
once or twice a week or in the afterschool hours.” generations true value of our population . So we let our work speak for us and
culture and scriptures try to impart basic Muslim education possible to
THE PROBLEMS FACED BY THESE our kids through our trust.”
INSTITUTIONS Another problem faced by religious educational
According to the 2011 census report, more than 78% of Indian population centres is the lack of proper teaching staff. The same teacher has to go
accepts and follow religious beliefs, very few percent of these populace through around five subjects a day of the religious texts at times. But there
send their children to religious schools such as Gurukul, Veda Shala, are some institutions which impart good quality formal as well as religious
Madrasa or Pathshala. According to All India Survey on Higher education education but it comes with its own boons and banes. “Schools with formal
2014’ only two percent Muslims send their children to Madrasa whereas and religious education together are rare and those which are now are not
less than five percent Hindu parents agree to send their children to Veda affordable for all,” said Shashi Sharma, a retired trained graduate teacher
Shala , while Christianity and Jainism is on agreeable numbers others are (TGT) for the subject of Hindi at Kendriya Vidyalaya in Mumbai.

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