India’s Supreme Court overturned an order banning Islamic schools in Uttar Pradesh, allowing over 2.6 million students and 10,000 teachers to resume studies in the state’s 25,000 madrasas, new reports said.
The ruling restored the 2004 Madrasa Act, which the Allahabad High Court had scrapped in March, claiming it violated constitutional secularism and mandating student transfers to conventional schools.
Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud stated that the High Court erred in invalidating the law, affirming that Article 30 of the Indian Constitution protects minorities’ rights to establish and administer educational institutions.
Wahidullah Khan of the All-India Teachers Association Madaris Arabia praised the judgment, calling it a “landmark” decision against anti-madrasa sentiment.
With Muslims comprising 20 percent of Uttar Pradesh’s population, many welcomed the ruling as a positive step for educational freedom amidst growing challenges faced by India’s 200-million-strong Muslim community.
