We’re closing madrassas and tols: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Hundreds of madrassas/high madrassas and Sanskrit tols in the State are facing closure as the State government doesn’t feel it right to pursue the teaching of religious scriptures at the cost of the State exchequer.

Making this disclosure before the media here on Wednesday, State Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “Madrassas/high madrassas and Sanskrit tols are funded by the State government. We feel it is not just to teach religious scriptures with government funds. If we’re to continue with such teachings, we’ll have to teach the scriptures of other religions as well. The State government has decided to close such religion-based educational institutions and upgrade them as general high schools.”

On the fate of madrassa and Sanskrit tol teachers, Sarma said, “We’re going to send them to voluntary retirement under which they’ll continue to get their salaries till their respective dates of retirement. And we’re going to complete this exercise within three/four months.”

The Minister has, however, made it clear that the State government will not have anything to do if such religion-based institutes are run with private funding. The State has 640 government-funded Madrassas/high madrassas and 1,000 Sanskrit tols recognized under the Assam Sanskrit Board, including 97 government-aided ones.

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