Assam govt to shut down state-run madrasas

Assam Education and Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday annonced the government will shut down all state-run Madrasas and Sanskrit tols (schools) as it cannot allow teaching religious education with public money.

The minister said the government will issue a formal notification in this regard in November.

Talking to media persons Sarma said, “In November both Madrasa board and Madrasa schools will be closed. We are still to take decision on the students who have already taken admission. We will issue the notification in November.”

Earlier on Thursday, Sarma clarified that there would be no religious education at the cost of the government.

“Our stand is the same as we said in the assembly—there should be no religious education at the government’s cost. If someone does it privately, they have that right. But it should not be done with the government’s expenditure. We will take decision in November and issue two separate notifications for Madrasas and Sanskrit tols,” Sarma said.