Close to 1,300 Middle English (ME) Madrassas have been converted to general ME schools across Assam with immediate effect, according to a state government order on Wednesday.

The order issued by elementary education director Suranjana Senapati said 1,281 upper primary ME Madrassas across the state under the Directorate of Elementary Education shall be known as “M E School” with immediate effect.

Earlier in April 2021, all the 610 state-run madrassas under the Madrassa Board were converted into upper primary, high and higher secondary schools with no change of status, pay, allowances and service conditions of the teaching and non-teaching staff.

When contacted, Senapati told media sources that classes were regularly going on in these nearly 1,300 madrassa ME schools and only their nomenclature have been “slightly changed” as per a government instruction.

“There are students, teachers and other staff in the madrassas. Classes were going on in these years and the same will continue without any change,” she added.

Asked if theology was also being taught till now before the order was issued, Senapati declined to comment.

The list mentioned all the madrassas and their new names. Anandapur ME Madrassa in Bajali will be known as Anandapur ME School, Charakpara ME Madrassa in Barpeta has become Charakpara ME School and likewise.

In December 2020, The Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialisation) Act, 1995 and The Assam Madrassa Education (Provincialisation of Services of Employees and Re-Organisation of Madrassa Educational Institutions) Act, 2018 were repealed.

This move of the first BJP-led Assam government paves the way for all state-funded madrassas to shut down and transform them into general schools.