By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 5 May: A major policy shift in the regulation of madrasas in Uttarakhand has sparked concern among madrasa operators. In this regard, Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind has approached Uttarakhand High Court against the government’s new norms. Once the new regulation is enforced, it is apprehended that more than 450 madrasas functioning under the state Madrasa Board may face closure after 30 June due to the imposition of stringent standards under the revised system.
It may be recalled that, at present, 452 registered madrasas are operating in Uttarakhand, imparting madrasa education to nearly 46,000 students. Their recognition, along with that of the Madrasa Board, is set to lapse on 30 June this year. Under a decision taken by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the Madrasa Board is set to be replaced from 1 July by the Uttarakhand Minority Education Authority. Under the new arrangement, the madrasas will be required to obtain recognition from District School Education Committees, while those imparting high school-level education will need affiliation with the Uttarakhand Board of School Education.
The government’s framework clearly mandates that only those madrasas meeting prescribed standards will be allowed to function, a provision that has intensified anxiety among the madrasa operators. A large majority of these institutions are currently being run in small rooms, mosques or private buildings, often without playgrounds or trained teachers, making compliance with the new norms a formidable challenge for them. The madrasa operators have termed the changes as targeted interference in Islamic education.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind has moved the High Court seeking relief, drawing parallels with a similar case in Uttar Pradesh where it had secured relief from the Allahabad High Court against closure of madrasas. State Vice-President Mufti Rais Ahmad observed that just as gurukuls produce acharyas, madrasas impart religious education to students aspiring to become maulvis. Abdul Sattar, Treasurer of the organisation, alleged that the state government was interfering in their institutions and asserted that such intervention was unacceptable. Maulana Hashim, associated with madrasa operations, maintained that these institutions, supported largely through public donations, provide not only religious instruction but also subjects such as Hindi, Mathematics and Science, even while functioning with limited infrastructure.
On the other hand, Special Secretary (Minority Affairs) Parag Madhukar Dhakate has stated that the Madrasa Board has been dissolved and replaced by the Minority Education Authority, which will encompass all the minority communities including Sikh, Buddhist, Parsi and Christian groups. He added that while religious education will continue, the syllabus and structure will now be determined by the authority.
Under the new norms, madrasas in urban areas will be required to have at least half an acre of land, while those in rural areas must have a minimum of one acre. It is further required now that the madrasas or other institutions catering to Classes 1 to 8 have between five and eight classrooms, employ teachers with DLEd or BEd qualifications along with Teacher Eligibility Test certification (TET), and also provide basic facilities such as libraries, drinking water, toilets and playgrounds to the students.
The state government has defended the reforms as a step towards improving minority education and ensuring uniform standards across institutions, with the introduction of NCERT curriculum and a structured approach to religious instruction. The position adopted by the government indicates that madrasas will either have to align themselves with school-level standards or risk being phased out of the system.
It may be recalled that Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has clearly stated on more than one occasion that the government will determine what is taught in madrasas. He has also emphasised that all the children should receive better and uniform education. He has also raised concerns over alleged instances of children being brought into madrasas without proper identification from other states and complaints of exploitation flagged by the Child Commission and other bodies.
In reality however, it is clear that most madrasas lack adequate land and infrastructure to meet the prescribed criteria, and that in the wake of this fact, there is a strong likelihood of a significant number of madrasas of being forced to shut down. Meanwhile, the political observers note that in a politically sensitive period ahead of elections, the sweeping changes in madrasa education could have wider implications, both socially and electorally, in the state.
