NCPCR (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has told the Supreme Court that madrasas are “unsuitable or unfit” places for children to receive “proper education”.

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights

• About: It is a statutory body established in 2007 under the Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005. 
• Mandate: To ensure that all laws, policies, programs and administrative systems conform to the vision of the rights of the child as enunciated in the Constitution of India as well as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

oA child is defined as a person falling in the age group of 0 to 18 years.

• Organization Structure: A chairperson who, is a person of eminence and has done outstanding work for promoting the welfare of children.

oSix members, out of which at least two are woman: Person of eminence in fields like – education, child health/welfare, laws related to children, elimination of child labour, etc.

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Women and Child Development (MoWCD).
• Function:

oExamine and review: The safeguards provided for the protection of child rights and recommend measures for their effective implementation.

oReport: An annual report to be presented to central government, or at such other intervals, as the commission may deem fit.

oInquiry: Inquire into violation of child rights and recommend initiation of proceedings in such cases.

oChildren right: Analyze factors that obstruct children's rights, including terrorism, violence, disasters, and exploitation.

oResearch: Undertake and promote research in the field of child rights;

Problem with Madrasa Education (As per NCPCR)

• Issues of curriculum: Eligibility of teachers, opaque funding, violation of land laws and failure to provide children a holistic environment as problems associated with madrasas.
• Violation of Article 28(3): As children from faiths other than Islam were also studying in madrasas in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

oProviding Islamic religious education to non-Muslims was a violation of Article 28(3) of the Constitution i.e., right against forced participation in religious instruction or worship.

• Do not align with RTE Act: Madrasas do not meet the definition of a school under the Right to Education Act (RTE), 2009.