The Assam cabinet on Sunday, 13 December, approved the proposal to shut down all-government-run madrasas and Sanskrit tols (schools).
The Bill regarding the proposal will be tabled in the upcoming winter session of the state assembly, the state’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandra Mohan Patowary said.
“The Cabinet decided that the existing laws pertaining to madrassas and Sanskrit tols will be scrapped. A Bill in this regard will be tabled in the next Assembly session.”New Indian Express quoted Chandra Mohan Patowary as saying
The winter session of the Assam Legislative Assembly will begin from 28 December.
Assam’s Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had earlier in October told The Indian Express that the state government intended to shut down around 600 madrasas across the state, and the government had been spending Rs 260 crore annually for these institutes.
Sarma also mentioned that the State Madrassa Education Board, Assam, would be dissolved. The minister further stated that all the government-run madrassas would be converted to high schools.
(With inputs from The Indian Express and New Indian Express)
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