Madrassas reject non-Muslim survey, UP gets NCPCR notice

LUCKNOW: Two days after UP Madrassa Education Board unanimously rejected the recommendations of National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) to inspect recognised madrassas in order to trace non-Muslim students and shift them to other educational institutes, the commission on Friday served a notice on the state government seeking a compliance report within three days.

In the notice, NCPCR chairperson Priyank Kanoongo wrote, “No compliance report has been submitted to the commission from UP government on the recommendations shared on December 8, 2022 for non-Muslim students studying in madrassas.”

Kanoongo had alleged last month that various complaints were received from different sources about non-Muslim students attending government-funded or recognised madrassas. “This is a violation and contravention of Article 28(3) of the Constitution of India that prohibits educational institutions from obtaining children to take part in any religious instruction, without the consent of parents,” wrote the NCPCR chairperson.

Therefore, NCPCR advised the UP government to conduct a detailed inquiry into all government-funded or recognised madrassas that had admitted non-Muslim children. The commission demanded physical verification of non-Muslim children attending madrassas and their shifting to schools for formal education.

On Wednesday, UP madrassa education board chairperson Iftikhar Ahmed Javed had announced that the Board had unanimously rejected the NCPCR recommendations. Taking objection to Ahmed’s statement, Kanoongo on Friday wrote to the UP government that “madrassa board chairperson’s comment violates the constitutional rights of the children and it disrespects commission’s mandate”.