Madrasas’s Education

• 19 Sep 2024

Why in News?

Recently, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) highlighted concerns about madrasa education in India, citing non-compliance with the Right to Education Act, 2009.

Key Points

• NCPCR Concerns: NCPCR informed the Supreme Court that madrasa education is not comprehensive and does not comply with the Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009 provisions.
  • Textbooks used in madrasas reportedly promote the “supremacy of Islam,” conflicting with secular educational principles and RTE requirements.
• High Court Ruling:The Allahabad High Court declared the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004 "unconstitutional."
• The Act was found to violate "the principle of secularism" and fundamental rights under Article 14 of the Constitution.
• Madrasas: Madrasa is an Arabic word for an educational institution.
  • Initially, mosques served as educational institutions in early Islam, but by the 10th century, madrasas evolved into distinct entities for both religious and secular learning in the Islamic world.
  • The earliest madrasas were found in Khorasan and Transoxania (modern eastern and northern Iran, central Asia, and Afghanistan), with larger institutions providing housing for students, especially those from poor backgrounds.
  • As of 2018-19, India had 24,010 madrasas: 19,132 recognized and 4,878 unrecognized.
  • Recognized madrasas are under state boards; unrecognized ones follow curricula from major seminaries like Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama and Darul Uloom Deoband.
  • Uttar Pradesh has 60% of the country's madrasas.11,621 recognized and 2,907 unrecognized madrasas.
• Categories of Madrasas in India:
  • Madrasa Darse Nizami: Operated as public charities and are not required to follow state school education curricula.
  • Madrasa Darse Aliya: Affiliated with state madrasa education boards (e.g., Uttar Pradesh Board of Madrasa Education).
    • Governed by state governments, with teachers and officials appointed by them.
    • Approximately 1.69 lakh students appeared for UP madrasa board exams (equivalent to Class 10 and Class 12) in 2023.
• Funding for Madrasas: Bulk of the funding comes from respective state governments.
  • Central Government Scheme:Scheme for Providing Education to Madrasas/Minorities (SPEMM) provides financial assistance to madrasas and minority institutions.
    • Sub-schemes under SPEMM:
      • Scheme for Providing Quality Education in Madrasas (SPQEM).
      • Infrastructure Development of Minority Institutes (IDMI).
  • SPEMM was transferred from the Ministry of Minority Affairs to the Ministry of Education in April 2021.

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights

• NCPCR is a statutory body set up in March 2007 under the Commissions for Protection of Child Rights (CPCR) Act, 2005.
• It is under the administrative control of the Ministry of Women & Child Development.
• The Commission's mandate is to ensure that all laws, policies, programs, and administrative mechanisms are in consonance with the child rights perspective as enshrined in the Constitution of India and also the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
• It inquiries into complaints relating to a child's right to free and compulsory education under the Right to Education Act, 2009.
• It monitors the implementation of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.