HC seeks details on staff, curriculum of madrasas

Jodhpur: The Rajasthan High Court has directed the state government to file an affidavit with details of the curriculum, mode of selection and appointment of the staff, and control and management of madrasas in the state in four weeks. The court has also sought a reply on the religious education being imparted through these madrasas and listed the matter for next hearing on September 1.A division bench of Chief Justice Augustine George Masih and Justice Vinit Kumar Mathur gave the directions while allowing a petition terming the provisions of Rajasthan Madrasa Board Act 2020 contradictory to the Constitutional duties of a secular state. Petitioner Mukesh Jain, in his petition, submitted that government giving funds to these madrasas for promotion of the education of specific ideology is not only unconstitutional but also an injustice to other minority communities and a violation of their constitutional rights. Arguing the case, petitioner’s counsel Moti Singh said that endorsed by the state government, these madrasas have neither adopted the mainstream education in alignment of the National Education Policy nor are they governed by the state academic and examination system.“Madrasas need to undergo a huge reformation in compliance with the secular and National Education Policy,” Singh argued.The petition has sought shutting the madrasas and converting them into schools and ceasing financial aid.