What was announced
The Assam government, through the Assam Education Department, embarked on a significant educational reform by converting 1,281 state-funded madrasas into regular Middle English schools. This move was officially confirmed by state Education Minister Ranoj Pegu in December 2023. The conversion effort followed the passage of the Assam Repealing Bill, 2020, in January 2021, which effectively repealed two existing acts: the Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialisation) Act, 1995, and the Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialisation of Services of Employees and Re-Organisation of Madrassa Educational Institutions) Act, 2018. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had previously articulated the government’s stance, stating that public funds should not be utilized for religious instruction in a secular country. He emphasized the need for a modern education system that prepares students for diverse career paths, advocating that religious education could be imparted at home. The government’s stated objective for the conversion was to “standardize the education system” and integrate madrasa students into mainstream education by removing theological subjects from the curriculum and focusing on general subjects like science, mathematics, and English.Why it matters
The policy shift holds significant implications for education, cultural identity, and community engagement, particularly for Muslim minority populations in Assam. The ground report from Beyond Headlines in June 2026 highlighted that while the conversion aimed for standardization, it has been perceived by many as more than just an administrative reform. For numerous families, teachers, and students, it represents a profound change in the identity, history, and purpose of these long-standing institutions. One of the primary concerns raised is the potential decline in the cultural representation of minority communities within the education system. An anonymous local educator expressed apprehension, stating, “As long as the older generation of teachers remains in service, you will continue to see people here who reflect the community’s cultural traditions. But new recruitment rules have become so restrictive and selective that, over time, the cultural representation of the minority community may gradually disappear from the education system.” This sentiment suggests that future teaching staff may have little connection to the social and cultural backgrounds of the communities these schools were originally established to serve. Furthermore, the report indicates a concerning trend of declining enrollment, especially among Muslim girls. According to local educators and community members, many families stopped sending their daughters to the converted institutions after the government madrasas were transformed into regular schools. This is attributed to the loss of the combined modern and religious education environment that many low-income Muslim families valued, viewing madrasas as spaces of social and cultural security where their daughters’ religious identity would be respected. The changes have reportedly weakened the confidence of Muslim parents, leading to a growing number of Muslim girls leaving the formal education system.Background
Madrasa education has a long and established history in Assam, with Islamic education formally incorporated into the state’s curriculum as early as 1934 with the founding of the Assam Madrassa Board. Over the decades, the curriculum underwent revisions, and in 1995, the state government granted official recognition to madrasas, categorizing them into various levels. The impetus for the conversion policy gained momentum in 2020 when then Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the government’s intention to close down all state-run madrasas, citing that religious instruction could not be funded by the state in a secular nation. This led to the state cabinet’s decision on November 13, 2020, to convert all government and state-aided madrasas into regular public schools and remove religious subjects from their syllabi. The Assam Legislative Assembly formally approved this move in January 2021, with the governor repealing the relevant acts on January 27, 2021. By February 12, 2021, the Madrassa Board itself was dissolved. Initially, the government targeted over 600 state-run madrasas, which were subsequently converted into Upper Primary, High, and Higher Secondary schools by April 2021, with assurances that the status, pay, allowances, and service conditions of teaching and non-teaching staff would remain unchanged. The broader conversion of 1,281 Middle English madrasas into ME schools was formalized in December 2023.Key details
The conversion involved 1,281 Middle English madrasas across 21 districts of Assam, primarily in the lower Assam region and Barak Valley districts. Dhubri district saw the highest number of renamed schools, with 269, followed by Nagaon with 165 and Barpeta with 158. Under the new policy, the curriculum in these converted institutions no longer includes Islamic theological subjects. Instead, they follow the general education curriculum prescribed by the Board of Secondary Education, Assam (SEBA), and the Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC). While Islamic studies were withdrawn, the Arabic language may continue to be part of the syllabus in some instances. Teachers who previously taught theological subjects were to be retained and either retrained to teach other subjects or assigned to other capacities within the new framework. The government maintained that their pay, allowances, and service conditions would not be affected. In terms of broader recruitment policies, the Directorate of Elementary Education, Assam, issued a notification in January 2024, confirming a three percent reservation for Tea Tribes and Adivasi communities within the existing 27 percent quota for OBC/MOBC communities in teacher recruitment for Class III and Class IV posts. Additionally, modifications to teacher recruitment advertisements require that the Language-I of CTET qualified candidates must match the medium of instruction of the school to which they apply.Reactions
The Assam government’s policy has elicited mixed reactions from various stakeholders. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has consistently defended the policy, asserting that it is essential for modernizing education. In May 2022, he stated, “Madrassa, the word itself, should cease to exist. Till this madrassa will be in mind, children can never become a doctor or an engineer.” He reiterated that schools should impart modern education, giving students the choice to pursue any career, while religious education can be provided at home. Conversely, critics from minority communities and opposition parties have voiced strong objections. Abdul Qadir Qasmi, General Secretary of the All Assam Tanzeem Madrasa Qaumia and Additional General Secretary of Jamiat Ulema-e-Assam, rejected the characterization of the madrasa conversions as a simple educational reform.Critics argue that the policy is part of a broader process of “social engineering” that has weakened the religious, cultural, and educational institutions of a significant minority community. Wajed Ali Choudhury, a lawmaker from the opposition Congress party, described the move as an “attack on Muslims,” suggesting that “the idea is to wipe out Muslims.” However, some individuals, including Imran Hussain, who previously chaired the state madrasa education board, have expressed support for the move, emphasizing the importance of general education in contemporary times.“This is fundamentally a political issue,” Abdul Qadir Qasmi said. He also expressed concern about the policy’s impact on the education of Muslim girls, noting that many families stopped sending their daughters to the converted institutions.
A Muslim writer also supported the government’s decision, arguing that quality education is crucial for the community’s advancement and that madrasas often lack the resources for comprehensive modern education.“In today’s times, general education is important,” Imran Hussain said, adding that “religious teaching can be done privately too. If this is implemented in the right spirit, I think this would only help students.”