New mosque management policy sets pay grades, recruitment system for mosque staff
A grade-based salary structure has been fixed for mosque employees
The government has published a gazette on the Mosque Management Policy 2025, introducing a structured pay scale, service benefits, recruitment rules and welfare provisions for mosque employees in the country.
According to the gazette, issued on Monday and circulated on the website of the religious affairs ministry today, mosque management committees will be able to appoint khatibs, imams, and other mosque personnel by assigning them ranks and salaries under the National Pay Scale-2015. The policy will apply to all mosques in the country, except government-run mosques.
Under the new provisions, khatibs will be appointed on a contractual basis, with their rank and salary specified in the contract by the mosque management committee concerned.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The policy also allows committees to appoint senior pesh imams under Grade-5 of the 2015 pay scale, which is equivalent to the rank of deputy secretaries and superintendents of police (SPs).
In addition, pesh imams may be appointed under Grade-6, equivalent to senior assistant secretaries, while imams may be appointed under Grade-9, equivalent to assistant secretaries.
The policy further provides for the appointment of chief muezzins under Grade-10, muezzins under Grade-11, chief khadims under Grade-15, and khadims under Grade-16.
The policy outlines service benefits for mosque employees, stating that they will be entitled to a maximum of four weekly holidays per month, 20 days of casual leave per calendar year, and one day of earned leave for every 12 days of service.
Appointments will be made through a seven-member selection committee. The policy also sets out clear guidelines for forming mosque management committees, which will have a three-year tenure and consist of 15 members. Committee members will be elected or nominated by the mosque's worshippers.
The gazette explicitly prohibits the collection or solicitation of money or donations in the name of mosques on vehicles or public roads.
The policy specifies sources of mosque income, including one-time donations from committee members, worshippers, and Muslim donors; donations to mosque donation boxes; income from movable and immovable mosque property; grants from government or private institutions, individuals, and organisations; profits from funds deposited in Shariah-based bank accounts; and proceeds from the sale of mosque property.
