Same Birthday For 24 Students: Bhopal Madrasas Face Probe Over Violations

At least 24 out of 35 students from Bihar in two madrasas in Bhopal were found have the same birthday in their admission documents, January 1, though with different years of birth, during an inspection that found several violations of rules.

No documents showing parental consent for their admission were available with the madrasa authorities, officials said on Monday, prompting them to seek an investigation. No local student is enrolled in these madrasas located in Banganga area of the state capital.

The inspection was carried out by the Madhya Pradesh Commission for Protection of Child Rights (MPCPCR), Child Welfare Committee (CWC) and the police on Friday. This was a day after police found that at least 10 minors were brought to Bhopal without any parental consent. 

"At these madrasas, most of the children were admitted on the basis of documents signed by the mukhiya (head) of their villages," said commission member Brajesh Chouhan. The children are aged 12-15, and belong to Purnea and Madhubani districts of Bihar. The only identity documents they had were Aadhaar cards.

"We are writing to the Bihar child rights commission and the police there to probe the matter locally, covering all possible angles," Mr Chouhan said, "We are also asking the police here to investigate."

Both the institutions are registered with the State Madrasa Board, but are running hostels without permission. Mr Chouhan said the hostels were mere tin sheds without proper toilets.

Some children in one of the madrasas told the inspection team that they were already enrolled in schools at their native places in Bihar, it is learnt. They were being given only religious education, officials said.