West Bengal has taken a major step towards tightening oversight of madrasa education after a statewide review found hundreds of institutions operating without the required approvals or basic infrastructure.
The state government has ordered the closure of 252 madrasas and issued show-cause notices to around 100 others. The action followed a field-level survey conducted across West Bengal to examine the approval status, infrastructure and management of madrasa institutions.
The message from the government is straightforward: institutions providing education must comply with the law, irrespective of their religious affiliation.
252 Madrasas Face Closure
The survey was initiated in June following directions from Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to establish how many madrasas were authorised and how many were operating without the necessary approvals.
Minority Affairs and Madrasah Education Minister Kshudiram Tudu said 252 institutions had been ordered to close because they lacked the required approvals and basic infrastructure. Another 100 have been given an opportunity to explain their status.
Importantly, the government has clarified that recognised and properly authorised madrasas will continue to function.
This makes the action a regulatory exercise rather than a blanket move against madrasa education.
‘Anything Illegal Will Not Be Tolerated’
West Bengal Minister Dilip Ghosh strongly backed the government’s decision, saying institutions operating without government permission cannot simply continue functioning.
He said concerns surrounding some madrasas had existed for years and argued that the government must now address the issue rather than allow it to remain unresolved.
Dilip Ghosh has also raised concerns over reports that people arrested in extremist-related cases had previously worked as teachers in some seminaries.
For years, Khariji and unapproved seminaries flourished along sensitive border districts like Malda, Murshidabad, and Dinajpur without state oversight or audit trails. Investigations repeatedly revealed instances where individuals with suspected links to extremist activities utilized unvetted institutions as safe havens. Mandatory state registration guarantees transparent vetting of staff, funding streams, and curricula.
Modern Education Over Medieval Indoctrination
Legitimate institutions with valid state approvals continue to operate unhindered. The closure targets unvetted setups that deny youth access to mainstream science, mathematics, and accredited vocational education, keeping students trapped in unregulated ecosystems devoid of basic physical infrastructure.
Economic Acceleration Demands Law & Order Integrity
The administrative cleanup coincides with a massive industrial transformation across West Bengal. Under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, the state is pushing high-value infrastructure projects, including a ₹15,000 crore mega investment, a ₹600 crore Amul processing unit, and state-of-the-art robotic firefighting technology. Economic progress and high-tech manufacturing cannot thrive alongside shadow institutions operating outside the rule of law.
A Necessary Exercise In Accountability
West Bengal’s madrasa review is ultimately about a basic principle of governance: religious identity cannot place an institution outside the law.
Institutions that meet the rules should be allowed to function without interference. Those that do not should be required to comply or shut down.
That approach protects both public accountability and legitimate religious education.
The 252 closure orders therefore represent more than a number. They signal that the state is finally moving from years of complaints and debate towards verification, regulation, and enforcement