The Assam Government, led by the BJP, has recently renamed 1281 state-run Madrasas to Middle English (ME) schools. According to Assam Education minister Ranoj Pegu, this decision aims to promote consistency and inclusivity in the state’s education system.
Subsequently Minister Pegu wrote on X, (formerly Twitter), “Consequent to conversion of all Govt and Provincialised Madrasa’s into general schools under SEBA, @SchoolEdnAssam has changed the names of 1281 ME Madrasas into ME School by a notification today. Here is the link for the list of schools”.
Consequent to conversion of all Govt and Provincialised Madrasa’s into general schools under SEBA, @SchoolEdnAssam has changed the names of 1281 ME Madrasas into ME School by a notification today. Here is the link for the list of schools. @himantabiswa @Samagra_Assam…
— Ranoj Pegu (@ranojpeguassam) December 13, 2023
On Wednesday, Suranjana Senapati, the Director of Elementary Education, issued the notification for the name change. These schools, primarily concentrated in the lower Assam region and Barak Valley districts, are situated in 21 districts within the state.
The various districts where the newly named ME schools are located include Bajali, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Cachar, Darrang, Dhubri, Goalpara, Hailakandi, Hojai, Kamrup-Metro, Kamrup-Rural, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sibsagar, Sonitpur, and South Salmara-Mankachar in the state.
Previously, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma declared his intentions to close down all Madrasas, asserting that they are unnecessary in the context of ‘New India’. The Assam government also claimed that it had incurred a cost of Rs 500 crore for running Madrasas.
Sarma’s statement quickly gained attention in neighbouring states. Shambhulal Chakma, a BJP legislator in Tripura, advocated in the Assembly for the closure of government-run madrasas, arguing that these religious educational institutions generate terrorists rather than professionals like doctors or engineers.
In August and September of the previous year, authorities allegedly dismantled four madrasas in Assam due to their suspected associations with anti-national and jihadi activities.
 schools. According to Assam Education minister Ranoj Pegu, this decision aims to promote consistency and inclusivity in the state’s education system.){kind=link}