SC stays NCPCR's communication on shifting of students of unrecognised madrassas to govt schools

State has vital interest in ensuring quality education at govt-aided madrasas: SC

NEW DELHI: In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court on Monday stayed the operation of communications issued by the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which urged states to transfer students from unrecognised madrasas to government schools. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud, and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, took note of the plea from Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, a prominent Muslim organisation, challenging the NCPCR's directive and the consequential actions taken by some states.

The Court's decision comes in response to petitions filed by the Jamiat, which contested the directives of the Uttar Pradesh and Tripura governments to shift students enrolled in unrecognised madrasas to state-run schools. The Jamiat's legal representatives, including senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Salman Khursheed, argued that the NCPCR's directives undermined the autonomy of these religious institutions and could lead to further marginalisation of the madrasa system.