Bengal to shut 250 private madrasas over low enrolment, poor infrastructure

The West Bengal Cabinet has taken an in-principle decision to gradually shut down 250 government-recognised private madrasas, citing very low or negligible student enrolment and inadequate infrastructure, an official said.

The institutions will be allowed to continue classes till December for the few students currently enrolled, after which they will be closed.

At the same meeting, the council of ministers cleared a proposal to recruit around 1.51 lakh personnel across government departments, including 12,000 for West Bengal Police and 4,000 for Kolkata Police. The cabinet also approved a new correctional home in Purba Medinipur district and an increase in grants for Ashram hostels.

"The cabinet decided in principle to close down 250 private madrasas that lack adequate infrastructure and have a negligible number of students. They will be allowed to function till December," the official said.

He said reports from these institutions are expected before the Durga Puja festivities, after which the required administrative action will be taken.

The move comes days after the state government ordered the closure of 252 unauthorised madrasas and sent show-cause notices to around 100 others after a state-wide survey found that several such institutions did not have the required approvals and basic infrastructure.

The official said nearly 2,500 madrasas operating across the state without government registration may also be closed in phases in future. The cabinet also approved a proposal to issue show-cause notices to 100 other madrasas over alleged irregularities, he added.

On recruitment, the senior bureaucrat said, "The government wants to expedite recruitment across departments and fill up vacancies so that public services are not affected. The departments concerned have been asked to address issues holding up the recruitment process."

The official said the chief minister also directed departments to resolve recruitment-related issues on priority and ensure budgetary allocations are used according to specific plans.

The cabinet also approved a proposal to set up a new correctional home at Nimtouri in Purba Medinipur district. It also decided to increase the grant for Ashram hostels under the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and library grant scheme from Rs 1,800 to Rs 3,300, alongside the decisions on madrasa closures and recruitment across departments.