Madrassas “unfit” for imparting proper education; violate RTE Act: NCPCR tells Supreme Court

NEW DELHI: Madrassas are “unfit” for imparting proper education, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) told the Supreme Court, as per various media reports. The child rights body reportedly filed an affidavit against the pleas challenging the Allahabad High Court’s order scrapping the UP Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004.

In its statement, the commission reportedly highlighted that Madrasas are not covered under the Right to Education Act of 2009, and as a result, children attending these institutions miss out on formal education opportunities and the benefits associated with the RTE Act, including midday meals, uniforms, and trained teachers.

Stating that most of the Madrasas are “unmapped”, those which never applied for recognition by the state government; the panel argued that many such institutions face significant challenges in delivering quality education to their students such as lack of holistic environment, focus predominantly on religious teachings with minimal integration into the national mainstream education system, teachers appointed by Madrasa managements who often do not meet the standards specified in the RTE Act, and deficiency in basic amenities and formal educational environments.

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Religious education in Madrassas

NCPCR also pointed out that non-Islamic students are allegedly being given Islamic religious education in madrassas, in violation of the Constitution, and expressed concerns over the content of the books used in these institutions, specifically those promoting the religion.

In April this year, the top court stayed the Allahabad HC order that struck down the Act calling it "unconstitutional" and violative of the principle of secularism, while ordering the state government to accommodate as many as 17 lakh students in regular schools.