News Brief
Uttarakhand Madrassas Under Scrutiny After Report Reveals Enrollment Of 749 Hindu Students
Children at a madrassa.
The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has issued a notice to the principal secretary of the minority welfare department in Uttarakhand following a report from the state's madrassa education board.
The notice requires the principal secretary to appear in person before the commission on 9 November.
The report highlighted that out of the 7,339 students enrolled in 30 board-affiliated madrassas, 749 are Hindu children, as reported by The Times Of India.
In response, the NCPCR has sought an explanation from the minority welfare department regarding why these Hindu children are not enrolled in schools under the Right to Education Act.
The report from the state madrassa board clarified that all students are being taught the NCERT syllabus and that Hindu children studying in madrassas are doing so with their parents' consent.
The highest number of Hindu children enrolled in madrassas was reported in Khedi Shikohpur (131), followed by Tilakpur (112) and Bhagwanpur (85) in Haridwar district.
On 17 October, NCPCR chairman Priyank Kanungo directed the director of the board to provide details of all government-aided seminaries where Hindu children are enrolled.
