HRD, Minority Affairs ministries’ response sought on plea over madrasas, gurukuls

New Delhi, May 29 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the ministries of Minority Affairs and Human Resource Development (HRD) to file a response to a plea seeking regulation of education imparted in 'madrasas' and 'gurukuls'.

A division bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Brijesh Sethi issued notices to the HRD and minority affairs ministries and listed the matter for further hearing on July 8.

The court has asked the ministries to give an exact status of regulations of such institutions in the country. The court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Sunil Saraogi through advocates Vidhan Vyas and Akshat Bajpai.

In the plea, the petitioner has requested the court issue directions to take steps in a time-bound manner for regulating non-religious education being imparted in all 'madrasas', 'maktabahs' and 'gurukuls', recognised or otherwise, so as to make their students worthy citizens.

Saraogi has also sought directions to establish uniform standards of proficiency and excellence with respect to education being imparted in all 'madrasas', 'maktabahs' and 'gurukuls', and to bring them all within a regulated and recognised legal framework by mandatory registration.

In his plea, the petitioner said there were around 30,000 'maktabahs' and 'madrasas' and approximately 2,000 'gurukuls'. Such 'madrasas', 'maktabahs' and 'gurukuls', are acting as a primary source of education for more than 15 lakh young individuals in the country.

He also said that the syllabus followed by these institutions are still stuck in the 18th century with the Quran, Urdu and Persian being the only subjects.

"This severely impacts the job prospects of the students studying at these madrasas," said the petition.