Last Updated on April 1, 2026 4:35 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
ANDALIB AKHTER / New Delhi
The President of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Maulana Arshad Madani, on Wednesday released scholarships worth ₹1.8 crore for 1,199 meritorious students for the academic year 2025–26. The financial assistance was announced from the organisation’s headquarters in New Delhi, with the scholarship amounts being transferred directly to the beneficiaries’ bank accounts.
Notably, the list of selected candidates this year includes 65 non-Muslim students, reflecting the organisation’s policy of awarding scholarships strictly on merit without any religious discrimination.
The scholarship programme is jointly run by Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and the Maulana Hussain Ahmad Madani Charitable Trust under the “Educational Aid Fund” established to support financially disadvantaged yet talented students pursuing higher and professional education. Since 2012, the initiative has provided annual scholarships to hundreds of students across the country.
A committee comprising education experts reviews applications each year and selects candidates on the basis of academic merit and financial need. According to the organisation, the programme is open to students from all communities, which is why a growing number of non-Muslim students apply every year. This year’s selection of 65 non-Muslim candidates is the highest so far.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, Maulana Madani emphasised the central role of education in shaping the future of communities and nations. “Visionary nations shape their history not through politics but through education,” he said, stressing that only societies that invest in educating their younger generations can achieve sustained progress.
He urged the community to prioritise education and called on philanthropists and financially well-off individuals to support the establishment of educational institutions for boys and girls. Such institutions, he said, should provide quality education in a secure environment while allowing students to preserve their cultural and religious identity.
According to Madani, the trusts associated with Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind are already working toward this goal by operating a range of educational institutions, including separate schools for boys and girls, industrial training institutes (ITIs), B.Ed. colleges, and law colleges. These institutions, he said, aim to become centres of academic excellence that would attract students from all communities and help foster harmony and mutual understanding.
During his address, Madani also expressed concern over what he described as growing social and political challenges facing the Muslim community. He alleged that increasing communal tensions were affecting not only Muslims but the broader fabric of Indian society.
At the same time, he welcomed the success of 53 Muslim candidates in this year’s Union Public Service Commission Civil Services Examination, calling it an encouraging sign of the community’s educational progress despite economic and social challenges. Four of these candidates secured ranks among the top 100.
Madani noted that many Muslim families continue to face economic hardship, which often forces children to drop out of school at an early stage. He referred to findings of the Sachar Committee Report, which highlighted the socio-economic disadvantages faced by the community.
Despite these challenges, he said, the achievements of young students demonstrate a growing awareness within the community about the importance of education. He concluded by urging the younger generation to pursue knowledge with determination, stating that unity, education and perseverance remain the most effective path toward dignity, opportunity and a brighter future.