Assam government plans to bring privately-run Madrassas under a regulation

Guwahati, 17th October: After the decision taken to close down all state-run Madrassas in the state, the Assam government has now planning to bring the privately run Madrassas under a state regulation.

Assam Education Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the state government are bringing a regulation to run the privately-run Madrassas in the state.

We have no intention of closing private Madrassas in the state. First of all, the student has to be clearly told that why they are in Madrassa. They have to introduce Science, Mathematics in curriculum. They have to register with the state, various constitutional mandate of Right to Education etc. has to be respected. But they can retain the character of Madrassa. They have to be registered, students have to be informed. It has to be choice exercise by the student and parents, not under the influence of anybody,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The Assam minister also said that the state government will issue a notification to close down the state-run Madrassas in November.

He said that there are 610 state-run Madrassas in the state and the state government has spent Rs 260 crore annually for it.

“We have decided that Madrassa education will be closed in Assam based on certain research. During the research questions have been asked to the Madrassa students that what is your aim in life and most of the Madrassa students said that, I want to be doctor, engineer, professor, lecturer etc. According to me, experience in Assam shows that this is a decision taken by the parents or maybe by the local influenced people to put students in Madrassa. The Madrassa students of Class 9, 10 they are not even aware that they are studying a particular stream which actually closed for their growth, career. Most of the students have not entered into the Madrassa thinking that they will be religious pressure. So our decision is based on solid research and as when the people challenge our decision, I am 100 per cent convinced that we will be able to stand the scrutiny of law. The research was also done by a Muslim person,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The Assam minister also said that the state government is going to ban the Madrassas education where complete education is primarily based on religion and these are governed under the director of Madrassa education.

We spent Rs 260 crore annually for Madrassa education and 610 Madrassas will be closed,” the Assam Education minister said.

Himanta Biswa Sarma also said that earlier Congress government had issued a notification that even if you take a degree from Madrassa, you will be treated as per with the student who passed the general education.

“Both certificates are treated as equal. So that has created panic among the general students. Earlier, people were not aware. When people started knowing that, the government has declared equivalence – the same status of a Madrassa certificate and the certificate from a general school, there are anger, frustration. So we have to address that and that is why we have said that, we will disband the Madrassa Board, withdraw the notification granting equivalence and finally we are converting all the state-run Madrassas into the general schools,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

The Assam minister said that, the Sanskrit Tols also have a problem of giving equivalence and the state government doesn’t want to continue that.

All the Sanskrit Tols will be handed over to Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit University and they can run the Tols as their centres. But, we will not allow to run the Tol education,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.