Child rights body calls for stopping state funding to madrassas unless they comply with RTE norms
New Delhi, Oct 13: The apex child rights body has raised serious concerns about the state of functioning in madrassas and called for stopping state funding to them unless they comply with the Right to Education Act.
In its latest report titled 'Guardians of Faith or Oppressors of Rights?', the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) said religious institutions operating outside the purview of the Right to Education (RTE) Act, 2009 had a negative impact.
According to the report, the exemption of madrassas from the RTE Act has deprived children attending these institutions of quality education.
While Articles 29 and 30 of the Indian Constitution protect the rights of minorities to preserve their culture and establish educational institutions, NCPCR asserts that these provisions have inadvertently led to discrimination against children in madrassas, who miss out on formal education mandated by the RTE Act.
The report pointed out that while the primary focus of madrassas is religious education, many do not provide the essential components of formal education such as adequate infrastructure, trained teachers, and proper academic curricula.
This leaves students at a disadvantage compared to their peers in mainstream schools.
The report also noted instances where madrassa students have been denied basic entitlements such as textbooks, uniforms, and access to midday meal scheme.
The NCPCR said a large number of Muslim children out of school, with an estimated 1.2 crore Muslim children not receiving formal education, according to UDISE 2021-22 data.
The report also said there was a lack of accountability in many madrassas, where physical safety concerns, such as poor infrastructure and cases of child rights violations, have been reported.
NCPCR has recommended a series of measures, including stopping state funding to madrassas and madrassa boards unless they comply with the RTE Act.
Additionally, NCPCR has recommended removing non-Muslim children from madrassas, as their inclusion violates Article 28 of the Constitution, which prohibits the imposition of religious instruction without parental consent.
The commission's report called for a balanced approach, where both religious and formal education can coexist but not within the same institution.
"Religious education cannot come at the expense of formal education," the report asserted, emphasising that the state must prioritise the fundamental right of every child to free and compulsory education.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
