The Minority cell was established in June, 2006 to look after the problems related to Education of Minority community. The Cell plays an important and vital role for implementation of NPE 1986 and Programme of Action (POA), 1992. It is making effort to bring out of schools/Madrasa/ Muslim learners within the fold of education through alternative schooling by accreditation of Maktab and Madrasa. Minority Cell therefore has become a major instrument of Policy intervention for Government of India for improving educational access for Muslim Minority population at school level in the light of the recommendations of Sachhar Committee and Prime Minister-15 Point Programme.

The Minority Cell of NIOS grants accreditation on relaxed norms especially developed for Minority Institutions. This has helped to link traditional educational institutions of Muslim like Madrasas, Maktabs and Darul Uloom into mainstream education.

Centrally Sponsored Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madarsas (SPQEM)

National Policy of Education (NPE), 1986 has adopted the concept of National System of Education, implying that up to a certain level of students irrespective of caste ,creed, language or sex have education of comparable quality. The national policy on education commits itself to provide all possible means for the upliftment of the educationally backward Minorities. In order to provide them with access to education in modern subjects the central Government has been implementing the Madarsa Modernization Scheme. The National Monitoring Committee for Minorities Education (NMCME) was constituted in 2004 to look into all aspects of education of Minorities. The Expert Committee has suggested that Madrasa be provided a linkage with the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) to provide for certification of academic levels, linkage with Vocational Education, improving the quality of education in modern subjects.

The objective of the scheme is to encourage traditional institutes like Maktab, Madrasa and Dar-ul-Uloom to introduce Science, Mathematics, Social Studies, Hindi and English in their curriculum. Maktab, Madrasa and Dar-ul-Uloom can opt to become accredited study centre with the National Institute of Open Schooling for offering secondary/Sr. Secondary level programmes as well. The scheme also will seek to provide opportunities for Vocational Training for children studying in Madrasa opting to enter the job market and encourage entrepreneurship. Madrasas can also opt for Vocational Courses offered by NIOS after fulfilling norms and standard set by NIOS. The Scheme is a demand driven scheme.

Madrasas which have been in existence at least for three years and registered under central or state government acts or Madrasa Board shall be eligible for apply for accreditation under his programme. All Madrasas opting to be covered by open and distance education mode and availing of government grant will need to be accredited with NIOS.

Roll of NIOS :

With a view to provide quality modern education to the Muslim Minority, several exemptions have been provided for accreditation to the Madrasas to function as Study Centre of NIOS. The Madrasas have been exempted from paying accreditation fee of Rs. 20,000/-. The UDISE code number is essential for relaxation.

In order to oprationalize the Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM), full exemption of fees is granted to Muslim learners enrolled through accredited Madrasas to the NIOS courses. Under the SPQEM Scheme, Madrasa/Maktab/Darul-uloom can opt for accredited Study Center with NIOS for offering Secondary/Sr. Secondary level programmes. Madrasas which have been in existence for a minimum period of three (03) years and affiliated with Central or State Education Acts or Madrasa Board would be eligible to apply for accreditation under this programme. NIOS courses have been made available in Urdu medium both at Secondary and Senior Secondary level for the benefit of such learners, who are having Urdu background. Arabic and Persian subjects have also been introduced at Senior Secondary School curriculum in addition to the existing eight subjects in the language category.

The admission process in NIOS is 100%- on-line. The On-line admission has been implemented for Madarsa through NIOS official portal www.nios.ac.in . This has enabled the Madrasa to enroll their learners through online mode. Under SPQEM, the admission and examination fees are exempted for the learners of Minority registered through accredited Madarsa in On-Line admission subject to having UDISE number.