Delhi clerics to get computer training

Clerics belonging to minorities in Delhi will now be connected to community members through computer, with the Delhi Minority Commission planning to impart computer knowledge to them. The commission is in the process of chalking out a strategy to give the clerics hands on experience on the computers to make them more "accessible" to community members, its chairman Kamal Faruqui said. "We will organise a workshop soon to give them computer training. This will help them connect with the people of their area," Faruqui told PTI.
"If the religious heads of gurdawaras, churches and mosques are computer-friendly, the complaints can be solved or can be forwarded to us online," Faruqui said.
"Presently, the mode of complaints is postal or personal delivery, resulting in delay in their redressal. Computers will provide fast and better networking among local people and the commission," he said. There are about 2,000 Muslims clerics and 1,000 each religious leaders from Christian and Sikh communities who will be asked to join the classes.
Since the cash starved commission is unable to fund the installation of computers, the help of NGOs is being sought in the matter. The need for computer scheme was felt after the commission during its 'At your Doorstep' scheme to redress problems of minority community found that there was a huge communication gap between the people and the minority panel.

K. Rahman Khan - Pleas for re-launching the Aligarh movement for the empowerment of the Muslims

Mr. K. Rahman Khan, Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha made a strong plea for re-launching the Aligarh movement for the empowerment of the Muslims. The movement needs to be launched with vigour in the backdrop of the Sachar Committee report, he said while inaugurating a two-day national seminar on ‘Minority Education in India: Issues of Access, Equity and Inclusion’ at Kennedy Auditorium organized by the Centre for Promotion of Educational and Cultural Advancement of Muslims of India, Aligarh Muslim University.

He urged the minority community to take new initiatives to address the vital issue of their educational backwardness. Muslims should not repeat the mistake of always seeking help from different quarters and crave for sympathy. They have to stick to the principle of self help if they want to change their destiny.

He also urged the Muslims to draw an agenda for the next ten years to attain self-reliance in education and serve the country through education. Muslims should plan to establish at least one University in each state in the next ten years. They should also plan towards achieving excellence in our educational institutions.

He also suggested establishing a large network of secondary schools of excellence in addition to the Government schools, i.e., at least one school for every 10,000 families. We should plan and establish skill development centers, polytechnics and technical institutions all over the country.

Mr. Khan pointed out that the Muslim community in India is not helpless. We have the resources, we have the abilities and expertise, what we lack is unity. The Muslim Community is a vibrant community and hardworking and contributing significantly for the country’s GDP growth and its contribution to GDP saving is around 10% of the total GDP savings of the country, which will be around 33 billion USD.

Confederation of Muslim Educational Institutions of India (CMEII)

CMEII established in 2005, is committed to sustainable improvement of educational conditions of minority communities. It is a manifestation of the log-felt need for a coherent approach to address the problems of educational backwardness of deprived sections of the society. CMEII caters to serve as a common platform to address the problems faced by minority educational institutions. The aims and objectives of CEMII are summarized below:

1. Arranging and forming partnership for knowledge industry.
2. Act as a legal interface on behalf of member organisations and do legal intervention wherever and whenever necessary.
3. Facilitating FDI for qualitative promotion of knowledge industry at affordable cost.
4. Establish linkage with organizations in the field of minority education both in India and abroad.
5. Build partnership with the objective of development of educational aspects of members of CEMII.
6. Forge alliance with civil society groups to ensure the rights of members of CEMII are protected and promoted.
7. Assist in experience sharing in the field of education (Knowledge Industry) and encourage collaboration.
8. Empower people's representatives and opinion makes to present the views to obtain the rights of minority educational institutions.
9. Provide a common platform for Information, Education and Communication programs (IEC) and Advocacy for members.
10. Coordinate the efforts for achieving the rights of minority groups in the field of education and promotion backward integration with mainstream in the field of education.
11. Work to ensure transparency of government policies and programs for minority educational institutions.