Declining Interest in Madrasas in Uttar Pradesh: Student Strength Drops by 80% in 10 Years

Lucknow: Students in Uttar Pradesh are increasingly losing interest in traditional madrasa education. Over the past decade, the number of students enrolled in state-aided madrasas has witnessed a dramatic decline of nearly 80%. While around 422,667 students studied in UP madrasas in 2016, the figure has plummeted to approximately 88,082 in 2025.

Records from the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Council indicate a steady fall over the years: 371,052 students in 2017, 270,755 in 2018, 206,337 in 2019, 182,259 in 2020, and 163,999 in 2022. Despite this sharp decline in student numbers, more than 3,000 teachers have been recruited in state-aided madrasas during the same period.

A district-wise look at examination applications highlights the stark disparity. In Jalaun, only one student applied for madrasa exams this year. In contrast, Aligarh had six applicants, while Etah, Bagpat, and Etawah each had eight. Prayagraj led with 644 applications, followed closely by Mau (636) and Azamgarh (497). Siddharthnagar and Lucknow recorded 478 and 477 applicants, respectively.

This significant reduction in enrollment raises concerns about the relevance and appeal of madrasa education in the modern educational landscape of Uttar Pradesh.