It appears that Priyank Kanoongo, the chairman of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), is pursuing a specific agenda against the madrasa system and missionary schools. Since taking office in October 2021, Kanoongo has consistently focused on these institutions, culminating in his recent letter to chief secretaries across India. In this letter, he recommended the discontinuation of madrasa boards, the halting of state funding for madrasas, and the enrollment of children attending madrasas in formal schools.
In his October 11 correspondence, Kanoongo reiterated the need to remove all non-Muslim children from madrasas and ensure that Muslim children attending these institutions, whether recognized or unrecognized, are enrolled in formal schools as per the Right to Education (RTE) Act of 2009.
Rather than addressing the numerous challenges within the mainstream education system such as inadequate infrastructure, a lack of trained teachers, caste-based discrimination, and corruption in the midday meal scheme Kanoongo appears to have singularly targeted madrasas.
Reports from the Pratham Education Foundation’s Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) highlight significant deficiencies in educational standards across India. The latest ASER 2023 report, “Beyond Basics,” reveals alarming statistics about youth aged 14-18:
• About 25% cannot read a Std II level text fluently in their regional language.
• More than half struggle with division problems, with only 43.3% able to solve three-digit by one-digit problems correctly.
• Just over half can read sentences in English, and of those, nearly three-quarters can understand their meanings.
Kanoongo’s approach has drawn criticism not only from opposition parties but also from allies within the ruling BJP, indicating that his statements reflect a broader ideological agenda. Karnataka Cabinet Minister Priyank Kharge challenged Kanoongo’s recommendations, asserting that the commission should focus on providing solutions rather than suggesting the closure of madrasas. He noted the irony of this stance occurring shortly after the Maharashtra government announced a significant salary increase for madrasa teachers.
Samajwadi Party MP Anand Bhadauriya labeled the NCPCR’s letter as politically motivated, intended to create discord within society. He emphasized the positive contributions many madrasas make in nurturing scholars and supporting low-income students, calling for the withdrawal of what he termed an absurd letter.
While some members of the Lok Janshakti Party, also allied with the BJP, support the idea of shutting down illegal madrasas, spokesperson AK Bajpayee insisted on thorough surveys to ensure fairness and due process for all institutions.
In conjunction with the letter, the NCPCR released a report titled “Guardians of Faith or Oppressors of Rights: Constitutional Rights of Children vs. Madrasas,” which claims that madrasas violate children’s educational rights. The report alleges that madrasa curricula do not align with the RTE Act and include texts promoting Islamic supremacy, with some materials reportedly published in Pakistan.
Kanoongo has also made sensational claims against the Jamiat Open School, which seeks to enroll madrasa students in formal education through open schooling. He characterized the school’s operations as “organized crime” and suggested improper financial ties with Pakistan. In response, the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, led by Maulana Mahmood Madani, served a legal notice demanding a retraction of these statements.
The Jamiat Open School aims to empower students who lack access to traditional educational avenues and facilitate their integration into society. It is essential to note that madrasas are recognized by the country’s legal framework. The RTE Act, under Section 1(5), explicitly exempts madrasas, Vedic Pathshalas, and other religious institutions from its application, thereby acknowledging their legitimacy.
In November of the previous year, the NCPCR ordered a First Information Report (FIR) against the Darul Uloom Sayideeya Yatheemkhana orphanage in Bangalore for alleged violations, which prompted the management to file a counter-FIR against Kanoongo for spreading misinformation.
Recently, the NCPCR informed the Supreme Court that education in madrasas does not meet the RTE Act’s standards and that their textbooks promote the “supremacy of Islam.” They also claimed a connection between the Taliban and the Darul Uloom Deoband Madrasa in Uttar Pradesh, suggesting that the latter has influenced extremist ideologies.
The child commission was established on March 5, 2007, by the UPA government under Dr. Shantha Sinha, a renowned child rights activist. While the panel’s primary objective is to protect children’s rights, Kanoongo’s focus seems to lie predominantly with madrasas and missionary schools. Notably, he has not issued notices regarding the mistreatment of minority students in various schools.
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