Another round of inspections hits the aided madrasas in Uttar Pradesh; Muslim teachers’ associations demand accountability for corrupt officers
NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW – Yet another official order has been issued for the inspection of government-aided madrasas in Uttar Pradesh, this time focusing on verifying whether staff appointments were made in violation of rules by favouring relatives of managing committee members. The move, seen by Muslim educators as part of a continuing campaign of harassment, has drawn sharp criticism from the teaching community, who say the authorities are ignoring the role of corrupt government officers involved in these very appointments.
The Registrar of the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board, RP Singh, issued the latest order following instructions from the Yogi Adityanath-led state government and in response to a meeting of the “Committee on Scrutiny of Audit Reports of Local Bodies” of the state assembly last month. The government later issued a circular on 5 June calling for action against madrasas where relatives of management members had been appointed in breach of rules.
The new directive instructs all District Minority Welfare Officers (DMWOs) to examine whether any such appointments have occurred in their areas. They have been told to check if the employed teachers are close relatives of the madrasa management committee, in violation of the Madrasa Service Rules 2016. If any such case is found, action must be taken, and a report submitted to the Madrasa Board within 15 days.
However, the move has been met with strong objections from Muslim educators. The All India Teachers Association Madrasas Arabia has said that this new order is unnecessary and unfair, pointing out that the appointments had already passed through proper channels.
Wahidullah Khan Saeedi, General Secretary of the association, said, “Yes, appointments in madrasas are made by the Madrasa Management Committee, but no appointment is recognised until it is approved by the Registrar after the District Minority Welfare Officer recommends it. The officer checks every aspect of the 2016 rules before giving consent to pay salaries.”
He further added, “If someone is at fault, action should be taken. But why are only madrasa teachers being questioned repeatedly? Why is no one holding the corrupt officers accountable? This is not justice, this is victimisation.”
Echoing similar views, Maulana Tariq Shamsi, Vice President of the Teachers Association, said, “The government has made madrasas a laboratory of inspections. Every few months, there’s a new order. For eight years, we’ve been targeted again and again, while the same corrupt officers continue their work untouched.”
He questioned the government’s double standards: “Will action also be taken against officers who approved illegal appointments or protected the guilty? Or will the whole burden again fall on poor madrasa employees?”
The latest order comes on top of a series of measures taken by the Yogi government targeting madrasas. In recent years, madrasas have been subject to sudden surveys, financial audits, investigations into syllabi, and even questions over national symbols being respected on national holidays.
Muslim educators allege that this pattern is part of a broader effort to paint madrasas in a bad light and intimidate the Muslim minority community.
“You will not find this level of scrutiny applied to private Hindu schools or other minority institutions,” said Shahnawaz Alam, a former madrasa student and social worker from Bareilly. “It’s always madrasas, always Muslims. Is that not discrimination?”
Another madrasa teacher, who asked not to be named, said, “We are not against rules. But let the rules be the same for all. Why are only Muslim institutions being dragged like this?”
Several legal experts have also weighed in on the matter, suggesting that any recruitment in violation of rules must be dealt with fairly, but that fairness must be extended to all involved parties, including officers who sanctioned those appointments.
Lucknow-based lawyer Farhat Naqvi said, “If the appointments went through official scrutiny, and salaries were sanctioned by state officers, then the investigation must include those officers too. Why is the state shifting the blame entirely on madrasas?”
She added, “Repeated inspections of one community’s institutions can lead to psychological and administrative stress. It sends a signal that Muslims are not trusted.”
While the ruling BJP has defended the order, claiming that transparency is being ensured, opposition leaders have accused the government of running a hate-driven agenda.
Samajwadi Party leader Mohd Faheem said, “This is yet another political tool to keep Muslims under pressure. This government talks of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, but in practice, they only spread fear among minorities.”
Congress spokesperson Sarita Mishra said, “Why are only madrasas facing scrutiny? Why are other aided schools not being audited in the same way? This shows the biased mindset of the government.”
Teachers in many madrasas say they are exhausted by the endless scrutiny. One teacher in Sitapur, speaking anonymously, said, “We are government-aided, but it feels like we are criminals. Our salaries come late, there is no support, and yet we are blamed again and again.”
Another madrasa principal from Rae Bareli said, “We work hard to provide quality education. But we are being made to look like scammers in front of society. This is painful.”
The District Minority Welfare Officers have been given just 15 days to complete their reports. If relatives of managing committee members are found appointed against the rules, action is expected under the provisions of the Madrasa Service Rules 2016.
But Muslim organisations say this order will once again lead to fear and insecurity among thousands of madrasa teachers, many of whom have been serving for decades.
They are calling for the government to stop targeting madrasas and instead introduce a transparent, fair, and inclusive process that respects the contributions of Muslim educators.
As Wahidullah Khan Saeedi summed it up: “If someone has done wrong, punish them. But don’t treat all madrasas like criminals. And for once, question the officers who allowed it. We want justice, not humiliation.”
