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The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has issued a strong call for the cessation of state funding to madrasas and madrasa boards across India. This recommendation, outlined in a letter to state chief secretaries and administrators, stems from a report titled 'Guardians of Faith or Oppressors of Rights: Constitutional Rights of Children vs Madrasas', which examines the alleged violation of children's right to education within these religious institutions. The NCPCR argues that exemptions granted to religious institutions under the Right to Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act), have inadvertently led to the exclusion of children attending only madrasas from the formal education system, perpetuating a cycle of deprivation and discrimination.
The NCPCR asserts that madrasas are 'unsuitable or unfit' environments for children to receive a comprehensive education, failing to meet the standards outlined by the RTE Act. This stance has been met with both support and opposition. While some view the commission's recommendation as a necessary step towards ensuring equal access to quality education for all children, others, including the Samajwadi Party, criticize it as an attempt to control and suppress alternative educational institutions. The party leader, Akhilesh Yadav, argues that the BJP government's focus should be on improving education quality rather than seeking control over educational institutions.
The NCPCR's recommendation is currently subject to the ruling of the Supreme Court. The case in question involves a challenge to the Allahabad High Court's decision to strike down the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004, deeming it unconstitutional. The High Court also mandated the transfer of madrasa students to formal schools, a decision temporarily halted by the Supreme Court. The outcome of this legal battle will have significant implications for the future of madrasa education in India, shaping the landscape of religious education and the right to education for all children.
Source: Stop funding madrasas: Child rights body tells state governments