Madarsas are not schools, says Maha govt

MUMBAI: The BJP-led government in Maharashtra declared madarsas, or Islamic seminaries, that do not teach primary subjects like Maths and English as non-schools and their students out-of-school children on Thursday, sparking criticism from Muslim leaders and opposition parties who dubbed the move discriminatory and unconstitutional.

MUMBAI: The BJP-led government in Maharashtra declared madarsas, or Islamic seminaries, that do not teach primary subjects like Maths and English as nonschools and their students outof-school children on Thursday, sparking criticism from Muslim leaders and opposition parties who dubbed the move discriminatory and unconstitutional.

Minority affairs minister Eknath Khadse said the government took the step because madarsas do not provide children their constitutional right to formal education.

“Madarsas are giving students education on religion, not formal education. If a Hindu or Christian child wants to study in a madrasa, they will not be allowed. Thus, a madarsa is not a school but a source of religious education,” Khadse said.

“We have asked them to teach

MINISTER SAYS STEP TAKEN BECAUSE MADRASAS DON’T PROVIDE CHILDREN THEIR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO FORMAL EDUCATION

students other subjects as well. Otherwise, the madarsas will be considered as non-schools.”

Nearly 1,50,000 students study in 1,889 madarsas in Maharashtra, according to data provided by the state directorate of minorities, and the education department will conduct a survey on Saturday to identify children in schools that don’t follow the government-approved curriculum.

Each madarsa gets an annual subsidy, but the government warned that grants would stop if they failed to make Science, Mathematics, English and Social Sciences part of their curriculum.