West Bengal to close 250 private madrasas by December

The West Bengal cabinet has reached an in-principle decision to gradually shut down 250 government-recognised private madrasas. The closure is attributed to inadequate infrastructure and negligible student enrolment. These institutions will be permitted to continue classes until December to accommodate currently enrolled students.

This decision follows a state-wide survey that identified several institutions lacking requisite approvals and basic facilities. Additionally, the state government recently ordered the closure of 252 unauthorised madrasas and issued show-cause notices to approximately 100 others regarding alleged irregularities. Officials indicated that nearly 2,500 unregistered madrasas operating in the state may also face phased closures in the future.

In a separate move, the council of ministers approved a proposal to recruit approximately 1.51 lakh personnel across various government departments. This recruitment drive includes 12,000 personnel for the West Bengal Police and 4,000 for the Kolkata Police, aimed at filling vacancies and ensuring the continuity of public services.