In a significant development, the Supreme Court has intervened to pause an Allahabad High Court ruling that would have impacted the education of approximately 17 lakh students enrolled in 16,000 madrassas across Uttar Pradesh. The High Court’s decision to declare the UP Board of Madarsa Education Act, 2004, unconstitutional had raised concerns about the future of these educational institutions. However, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, deemed the High Court’s order prima facie incorrect, issuing notices to the relevant authorities and putting the decision on hold.
The High Court’s ruling, which directed the relocation of madrassa students to formal education institutions, faced criticism from the Supreme Court bench. Chief Justice Chandrachud highlighted the potential adverse impact on the vast student population and questioned the necessity of such a directive. He emphasized that the solution to ensuring secular education in madrassas lies not in repealing existing legislation but in enhancing educational standards. The court’s decision underscores the complexity of the issue and its implications for religious and secular education in India.
While the legal battle continues, stakeholders have voiced their concerns and arguments before the judiciary. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the madrassas, emphasized the importance of distinguishing religious education from religious instruction. He highlighted the discriminatory nature of targeting madrassas for regulatory measures and cited previous judicial precedents. With the matter slated for further deliberation in July, the Supreme Court’s intervention offers a temporary reprieve to the educational landscape in Uttar Pradesh, pending a more comprehensive examination of the issues at hand.
