Bihar madrasa bans admission of girls, says co-education against Islam

Authorities of a government-affiliated madrasa in Bihar have banned admission of girls and restricted entry of its girl students in premises on the ground that co-education is against Islam, officials on Tuesday said.

The Madrasa Azizia in Bihar Sharif, the district headquarters of Nalanda has issued a diktat that girls would not be enrolled, and those already enrolled would not be allowed to enter in its premises.

“Decision has been taken as co-education is against our religion. Boys and girls cannot study together and male teachers should not lecture the girl students in our madrasas,” S M Ashraf, secretary of Madrasa Azizia said.

He said that until a separate arrangement for girls would not be made, girls would not be enrolled in madrasas and the already enrolled girls would not be allowed to enter the premises.

“We will appoint women teachers for girl students and separate sitting arrangement for them. It would take a few months,” he said. Meanwhile, local residents, social activists to some teachers of the madrasa opposed the move and demanded district administration to intervene.

"It is a violation of rights of education of girls and against Islam,” Mohd Azad, a local resident said.

Khurshid Alam, a teacher of madrasa said that it is against the Constitutional rights provided to girls in a secular country like India.

Madrasa Azizia is run by Soghra Wakf  Estate Committee. It is one of the hundreds of madrasas affiliated by the state government and its students are getting benefit of free bycycles, uniforms, books and other schemes.

However, the committee president, who happens to be Nalanda district magistrate B Kartikya said that he has no information about the incident. “We will inquire into it,” he said.

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