A new controversy has emerged in Morena district after reports surfaced that Hindu children are being enrolled in madrasas, institutions traditionally meant to provide Islamic education to Muslim students. The revelation has raised questions about compliance with State regulations and the broader implications for child rights and communal education.
Government records indicate that Madhya Pradesh has 1,755 registered madrasas and more than 9,400 unregistered ones. While their primary mandate is Islamic education for Muslim children, reports suggest that 27 madrasas in Morena have enrolled non-Muslim students, with around 556 Hindu children attending classes.
Local accounts suggest that many Hindu families voluntarily send their children to madrasas due to poverty, lack of access to affordable schools, or the structured environment provided by these institutions. In some cases, Hindu teachers or families are actively managing the madrasas, suggesting that the initiative is more about educational opportunity than religious conversion.
District Education Officer (DEO) Sudhir Saxena told The Pioneer that the matter has come to light, prompting immediate action. “We have formed teams to visit madrasas and verify the credentials of all students. Our preliminary investigation indicates that the Samagra IDs used for enrolling some students appear to be duplicate,” Saxena said, highlighting both administrative and procedural concerns. He added that authorities are examining further details. He informed that in one case, a Hindu family is running a madrasas.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Morena District Collector Ankit Asthana expressed unawareness of the situation or any ongoing DEO-led investigation, pointing to gaps in administrative coordination.
Sources within the administration suggest that the issue may be tied to Government grants, as institutions need to show a minimum number of students to qualify for funding. In some cases, non-Muslim children may have been included in enrollment records to meet this criterion. Child rights advocates have expressed concern, noting that textbooks such as Talim ul Islam contain references labeling non-
believers as kafir.
Critics warn that forcing children from non-Islamic backgrounds to study such material could compromise their cultural identity and constitutional rights.556 Hindu children enrolled in madrasas in MP, sparks controversyDr Nivedita Sharma, member of Madhya Pradesh Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said this is a matter of investigation, whether the parents of those children are not able to find schools or they are going to madrasas for some special facilities.
Supporters argue that the enrollment of Hindu children reflects communal coexistence, showing that grassroots communities can collaborate in education despite religious differences.The DEO’s investigation is ongoing, with teams tasked to verify student records, assess madrasas administration, and ensure compliance with Government directives. The situation in Morena raises broader questions about the balance between regulatory oversight, educational access and communal harmony.