Assam Government is all set to ‘secularise’ school education in the State.

The Assam State Cabinet has approved repealing of provisions in Madrasa and Sanskrit Tols Act in the next Assembly session scheduled to be held this month.

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Repealing of provisions in the Madrasa and Sanskrit Tols Act will essentially mean end of religious teachings in Government-run schools.

Briefing the media about the development on Monday, Assam Education Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the move will have impact on 141 high madrasas, 542 madrasas and 97 Sanskrit tols.

However, Himanta Biswa Sarma clarified that the move would in no way affect the functioning and imparting of religious education in private madrasas and Sanskrit tols.

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“Assam State Madrasa Board shall stand dissolved from the date of declaration of results of examination to be held in 2021-22. All their academic and administrative authority will be transferred to the Directorate of Secondary Education, Assam,” said Himanta Biswa Sarma.

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“The word High Madrasa will be removed and renamed as high schools and colleges. Theological course (Quran course) will also be stopped from April 1, 2021.  SEBA will conduct the last High-Madrasa exam in 2021. So, from 2022 there will be no High Madrasa exam,” Sarma added.

Furthermore, all the 4 Arabic colleges in the State will be converted to Higher Secondary Schools and all the authorities of the Arabic Council will get transferred to Assam Higher Secondary Education Council (AHSEC).

Sarma added that the religious teachers will be trained further so that they can teach other subjects.

Besides, as many as 97 Sanskrit tols in the State, which teaches Hindu scriptures, would also cease to exist.

The State Sanskrit Board, which regulates the Sanskrit tols would get dissolved.

These Sanskrit tols will now be put under the Kumar Bhaskar Varma Sanskrit and Ancient Studies University and would run diploma and degree courses on Indian history and culture.

“Assam will be the first state in the country which will have exclusive diploma and degree courses on Indian civilization. Besides history, students will study about the Vedas and about other religions as well,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.