The Assam government has announced that a law will be made to convert all government-run madrassas and Sanskrit tols (ashrams where Sanskrit is taught) into high schools and higher secondary schools. The Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Wednesday. He added that the process would be completed in the next two months.

He said, “These madrassas will function within a regulatory framework. We are bringing a law where government-run madrassas have to function under a regulatory framework and disclose the number of students enrolled. They will have to compulsorily teach general subjects along with religious one.” He also said, “Since the state is a secular institution, it can’t fund religious teaching.”

There are nearly 1,200 madrasas and 200 Sanskrit tols in the state. He said the reason behind the conversion is that there is no independent board to regulate them. “These (govt-run madrassas and Sanskrit tols) issue certificates which are equivalent to metriculation (Class 10) and higher secondary (Class 12). Since there is no regulatory board to govern them, a lot of wrongdoings take place in issuing these certificates,” Sarma said.

The decision will not affect privately run madrassas. He said, “The Assam government has no issue with the madrassas that are being run by various social organisations and NGOs.”

Source: India Today