Supreme Court Issues Notice to Education Secretary Over Unregistered Religious Schools
· India · The Hindu, Indian Express
The Supreme Court on September 15, 2026, issued a notice against Union Education Secretary T.K. Anil Kumar for failing to comply with a May 2026 order to investigate unregistered religious and secular educational institutions for children under 14. Advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay’s contempt petition highlighted vulnerabilities, including brainwashing risks and lack of teacher qualifications or syllabus audits in these institutions. The petition argued that thousands of unregistered schools radicalise children under the guise of religious instruction, threatening national security and violating Article 21-A’s guarantee of quality education. The Bench, headed by Justice Dipankar Datta, dispensed with the Education Secretary’s personal appearance and listed the case for hearing after four weeks. The plea also contended that such institutions should be regulated under Article 26(a) rather than Article 30, which protects minority-run schools.
Why it matters
The case directly impacts millions of children in unregulated schools, exposing them to radicalisation and substandard education. It also forces the government to address systemic gaps in oversight, potentially reshaping policies on religious education and child safety nationwide.
Read the original report — The Hindu
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