'Austere Version Of Islam': Child Rights Body Opposes Madrassa Education In Supreme Court — Here's What NCPCR Said

The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) defended Allahabad High Court's judgment striking down the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madrasa Education Act 2004 in the Supreme Court.

The High Court had directed the transfer of madrassa students to mainstream schools but the Supreme Court put a hold on the High Court's ruling in April.

After the NCPCR filed its submissions on Wednesday (11 September), a three-judge bench, led by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, announced that the petitions would soon be considered in detail.

In its submissions, the NCPCR alleges that madrassas fail to provide children with formal and quality education, and the inclusion of a few NCERT books in the curriculum is insufficient, The Hindu reported.

The NCPCR points out the incompetence of madrassa teachers as the system 'stands alone on the conventional ground of religion.' It alleges a lack of social events and extra-curricular activities in madrassas.

"Madrassas infringe on children’s fundamental right to a good education by failing to provide the basic requirements of experiential learning. Children are denied not only a suitable education but also a healthy atmosphere and improved opportunities for growth," it said.

Opposing the enrolment of non-Muslim students in madrassas, the NCPCR calls it a violation of Article 28(3) of the Constitution, which upholds the right against forced participation in religious instruction or worship.

The NCPCR pointed out that Darul Uloom Deoband Madrassa, which was founded in Deoband in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur is known to teach the 'austere version of Islam, particularly along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.'

"It has also been alleged by Taliban extremist groups to have been influenced by the religious and political ideologies of Darul Uloom Deoband Madrassa," the NCPCR said highlighting the 'conservative interpretation of Sharia' by Deoband Madrassa.

The child rights body particularly expressed concerns for states of Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, which have Madrassa Boards.

"A large number of children attend madrasas that are either unrecognised or unmapped. It is unknown whether these institutions provide quality education. The information on the environment these institutions provide to children also remains unknown," the NCPCR said.

It also highlighted that children going to madrassas are deprived of entitlements such as midday meal, uniform, trained teachers, etc. because madrasas are exempted from the purview of the Right to Education (RTE) Act.