The state government has decided to abolish the Madrasa Service Commission and bring the recruitment of teachers for all madrasas under the School Service Commission (SSC), marking a major overhaul of the state’s teacher recruitment system.

Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced the decision, saying the separate Madrasa Service Commission would no longer exist and would be merged with the SSC.

“The Madrasa Service Commission has been abolished; it has been merged with the School Service Commission,” the Chief Minister said.

With the move, candidates aspiring to teach in madrasas will no longer have to appear for a separate recruitment examination. The SSC will handle teacher recruitment for both general schools and madrasas under a common framework.

Separate recruitment system dates back to 2008

The decision marks a departure from a recruitment system that has been in place for nearly two decades.

According to a senior state government official, there was no separate recruitment mechanism for madrasa teachers before 2008. In 2007, the then Left Front government granted minority educational institution status to 614 madrasas in the state. The Madrasa Service Commission Act was subsequently enacted in 2008, paving the way for a separate commission to conduct teacher recruitment.

Since then, recruitment in recognised madrasas has been conducted through the Madrasa Service Commission.

The present government, however, has decided to centralise the process under a single recruitment authority, citing the need for greater uniformity, monitoring and transparency.

Number of recognised madrasas remains unchanged

The madrasa education system has also remained a politically sensitive issue in Bengal.
Official figures indicate that the number of recognised madrasas has remained at 614 since 2008, despite the Trinamool Congress government remaining in power for nearly a decade and a half. The figure has not increased by even one during this period.

The issue assumes significance against the backdrop of repeated political allegations of minority appeasement against the previous government.

In recent years, questions have also been raised over the proliferation of ‘Khariji’ or unauthorised madrasas in different parts of the state. The existence of several fake or unrecognised institutions has also come under scrutiny.

Government sources believe that the decision to restructure the recruitment mechanism is part of a broader attempt to bring greater regulatory oversight to the madrasa education system and curb irregularities.

One commission, one recruitment framework

The government believes that merging madrasa recruitment with the SSC will simplify the process for both candidates and the administration.

Until now, candidates seeking teaching jobs in general schools had to prepare for the SSC examination, while those aspiring to teach in madrasas had to go through a separate recruitment process conducted by the Madrasa Service Commission.

The two-track system often meant that candidates had to prepare for separate examinations and follow different recruitment procedures.

Under the new system, candidates will be able to compete within a common recruitment framework. The government expects the move to speed up recruitment while making it easier to monitor the entire process.

Government expects savings and tighter oversight

The merger is also expected to reduce administrative expenditure. With recruitment centralised under the SSC, the government will no longer need to maintain separate infrastructure and administrative arrangements for the Madrasa Service Commission.

Officials believe that a single recruitment authority could also reduce the scope for irregularities, corruption and nepotism by bringing the entire selection process under one institutional framework.

For the state’s lakhs of job aspirants, the move could therefore represent a significant change in the way teaching posts are advertised, examined and filled.

Legal hurdles remain

However, the government’s announcement cannot take effect immediately. The existing Madrasa Service Commission Act, enacted in 2008, provides the legal basis for the commission and will have to be repealed.

The government will therefore have to introduce a fresh bill in the Legislative Assembly to abolish the existing statutory framework. Amendments to the School Service Commission Act will also be required to empower the SSC to conduct recruitment for madrasa teachers.

Administrative sources said the government is preparing to initiate the necessary legislative process soon.

The new recruitment framework will come into full effect only after the Assembly passes the required legislation and all other legal formalities are completed.

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