No hurry to close madrassas: Dispur to Gauhati High Court

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The State government has informed the Gauhati High Court that it is not in a hurry to close the provincialized madrassas of the State as "the Government Authorities are conscious and aware of the adverse consequences that the students pursuing their education in the Madrassa stream may have to face in the event of abrupt closure without any effective alternative".

It has, therefore, said that "the procedures adopted would be such that it would ensure at least the present batch of students who are in the intermediate (final FM), Final (FM) and MM are allowed to complete the courses that they may be presently undergoing".

A writ petition (WP-C 4766/2020) filed in the High Court by Ubaidulla and 16 others in connection with the 'closure' of provincialized madrassas in the State came up for hearing on November 17, 2020 before the bench comprising Justice Achintya Malla Bujor Barua.

The petitioners raised the contention that the decision to close down the Madrassas would adversely affect the prospects of the petitioners inasmuch as they are presently pursuing their education in the Madrassa Education Stream. They also raised the contention that the provincialized Madrassas are "a result of the Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialization of Services of Employees and Reorganization of Madrassa Educational Institutions) Act, 2018; and as the provincialized Madrassas are results of the statutory provision, therefore, the same cannot be closed down merely through an administrative communication. The third contention is that even otherwise, the decision to close down is an outrageous defiance of logic".

Taking on record the statement of the State government authorities, the High Court closed the writ petition for the present. The bench, however, made it clear that "liberty shall always remain to approach again if and when it may be deemed appropriate and necessary".

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