Bengal govt orders inspection of Khariji Madrasas across 12 districts; BJP alleges radicalisation concerns
The West Bengal government has launched a statewide inspection of unaided and unrecognised madrasas, including Khariji madrasas, across 12 districts to assess their functioning, funding sources, student welfare measures and compliance with educational norms. The move has drawn political attention, with BJP leaders welcoming the exercise and alleging that some unregulated institutions promote anti-India narratives and have links to radicalisation.
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The West Bengal government has initiated a large-scale inspection drive covering unaided and unrecognised madrasas, including Khariji madrasas, across 12 districts of the state. The exercise, ordered by the Minority Affairs and Madrasa Education Department, seeks to review the functioning of these institutions and assess their compliance with the state's educational and regulatory framework.
According to an official order issued on July 8, physical inspections are to be completed by July 15. Senior officials from the madrasa education department and other government agencies have been assigned district-wise responsibilities to carry out the survey.
The districts covered under the exercise include Cooch Behar, North Dinajpur, Malda, Murshidabad, Birbhum, West Midnapore, East Midnapore, Nadia, Hooghly, Howrah, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas.
Officials will collect detailed information about the institutions, including their origin, sources of funding, student enrolment, teaching and non-teaching staff, residential facilities and curriculum. Authorities are also expected to assess the implementation of student welfare measures and determine whether the institutions comply with state regulations.
The survey includes Khariji madrasas, which are privately run religious educational institutions that generally operate without government funding or recognition. Due to their independent nature, comprehensive official data regarding their operations has often remained limited.
The inspection exercise has triggered political reactions, particularly from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has welcomed the move.
Union Minister and Balurghat MP Sukanta Majumdar supported the government's decision, stating that inquiries into such institutions were necessary. Referring to past remarks made by former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee regarding concerns over extremist activities in certain madrasas, Majumdar said the inspection would help determine whether any irregularities existed.
Barasat, West Bengal: On Madrasa's, Union MoS Sukanta Majumdar says, "... He said that with the IB input, with the intelligence input, whether it is of State government or of Central government. When a Chief Minister understood this problem so many years ago, then what the… pic.twitter.com/RxNzyYCVMy
— IANS (@ians_india) July 12, 2026
BJP leader Agnimitra Paul also backed the exercise and alleged that some unrecognised Khariji madrasas were involved in promoting anti-India sentiments among students. She argued that the inspection would allow authorities to examine the curriculum being taught and assess whether educational activities were being conducted in accordance with national interests and educational standards.
Paul further claimed that there had been instances where individuals accused of extremist activities had links to such institutions, adding that the survey would help establish greater transparency regarding their functioning.
The state government has not linked the inspection drive to any specific security investigation. Officials have maintained that the primary objective is to gather information about unaided institutions and evaluate their functioning, infrastructure and adherence to educational norms.
The exercise is also expected to help the government create a comprehensive database of Khariji and other unaided madrasas operating across the state. Such information could be used to strengthen oversight mechanisms and formulate future policy interventions related to education and student welfare.