Assam government to shut down all government-run Madrassas, decides to convert it to general school

The state government has also decided to remove Madrassa word from all government-run Madrassas and to dissolve the State Madrassa Board.

There are 198 High Madrassas in the state which are running under the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA) and 542 other Madrassas which are running under the State Madrassa Board.

Assam Education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said all government-run Madrassas will be renamed by removing the word Madrassa in order to avoid any confusion in course of higher studies of students regarding the status of the institution.

“In 1934, when Assam was run by a Muslim League government under the Prime Minister of Sir Syed Sadullah, at that of time, the Madrassa education was introduced in Assam education curriculum and the State Madrassa Board was also created. Even in normal academic courses up to in Matric level, a chapter basically 50 marks was allotted for education on Quran," Sarma said.

"The Assam cabinet has decided to reform the educational system to make it secular and as a result, now all these High Madrassas and Madrassas will stop of functioning and we will convert every such institution to general educational institute like any other institute," he said.

"198 High Madrassa, 542 Title Madrassa, Pre-Senior Madrassa, Senior Madrassa will not give admission to any student for theological study. Henceforth it will be functioning only for general education,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

A new bill will be tabled in the next winter session of the Assam Legislative Assembly which will be started from Dec 28.

Meanwhile, the state education department has issued notification as said that,  the State Madrassa Board will be dissolved from the date of declaration of results of examination to be held for academic year 2021-22.

According to the state government, there will not be any fresh admission in the Madrassa Educational Institutions in any of their existing course prescribed by State Madrassa Board with effect from April 1, 2021. They will admit students from April 1, 2021 against the relevant courses of SCERT, SEBA and AHSEC as applicable for their institution.

All the Pre-Senior Madrassa schools will be treated as primary, upper primary schools and they will follow the academic course curriculum prescribed by SCERT, Assam. The subjects namely Holy Quran and Islamic studies will be withdrawn from these schools and all other subjects available in primary and upper primary schools including Arabic language will be added.

All Arabic colleges will be treated as composite Higher Secondary schools from upper primary school with a modified name and they will follow the course curriculum prescribed by SCERT, HSLC course curriculum of SEBA and course curriculum of AHSEC.

All senior and Title Madrassa will be treated as High school with a modified name by omitting the word Madrassa.

All student presently studying in the last two years of intermediate course, FM course and of MM course will continue their study till Mar 31, 20222 in order to complete their final examination.

The Assam Education minister also said that, for the Madrassa education, the budget will come into secondary education.

“Services of the teachers and employees who are working in the Madrassas will be continued and they will be paid from the budget head of secondary education along with other schools. We have protected the job of the teachers and employees, but they will not impart lesson on theological subjects,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.

On the other hand, the state government has also decided to shut down 97 government-run Sanskrit Tolls in the state and convert it to study centres, research centres and institutions to study the certificate, diploma, degree courses to be started by Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit and Ancient Studies University with effect from Apr 1, 2021.