By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 30 Jun: The Uttarakhand Madrasa Board will cease to exist with effect from tomorrow and the newly constituted Uttarakhand Minority Education Authority will come into effect. Under the new system, only those madrasas which meet the standards laid down by the Education Department will be granted recognition. At present, 452 madrasas are operating in the state, of which about 400 run classes from I to VIII and 55 conduct classes from IX to XII. All of them will now have to seek recognition from the Minority Education Authority.
This means the registration of all madrasas has ended and they must now join the mainstream of national education. The Dhami government thus becomes the first BJP‑ruled state government to implement such an education management system, bringing a unified policy for all. In place of madrasas, primary, secondary and higher secondary institutions will provide education to minority children, with the syllabus prepared by the Minority Education Authority.
Authority Chairman Surjit Gandhi stated that teaching the national curriculum is mandatory and if any institution imparts religious education, the content will also be determined by the Authority. Speaking to Garhwal Post, outgoing Madrasa Board President Shammum Kasmi welcomed the decision. He called the initiative as commendable and added that the new law paves way for providing modern education to Muslim and other minority children.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has reminded that the government is committed to safeguarding the educational rights of every citizen of the state. The establishment of the Minority Education Authority in place of the Madrasa Board and the new regulations will ensure transparency, accountability and quality in the functioning of educational institutions.
At the same time, Social Welfare and Minority Welfare Minister Khajan Das stated that bringing 452 registered madrasas under the new arrangement is a well‑structured and historic reform. The Minority Education Authority will not only provide legal protection to these institutions but also strengthen the quality of education and social harmony. He claimed that state government remains dedicated to the holistic development of all communities.
Uttarakhand has become the first state in the country to adopt such a process, ensuring that minority children are integrated into the mainstream education system while continuing to receive religious instruction, thereby aligning with constitutional provisions.
Sources claim that a major challenge for several madrasas is that they do not own land and are functioning on properties of the former Madrasa Board. Such institutions may face difficulties in obtaining recognition as only those meeting the prescribed norms will qualify. According to the Education Department, madrasas up to class VIII must secure recognition at the district level, while those running classes IX to XII must obtain recognition from the Uttarakhand Board of School Education.
Special Secretary of the Minority Welfare Department, Parag Madhukar Dhakate, explained that the Minority Education Authority has been formally established and with this the Madrasa Board stands dissolved from 30 June. He said that from 1 July 2026 a new education policy will come into force. He added that a new arrangement has been created for children of all minority communities including Sikh, Christian, Jain, Buddhist and Muslim. The syllabus of the Uttarakhand Education Department will be applied in minority schools, alongside which the students will also continue to receive religious instruction.
Dhakate further asserted that all the educational institutions need to comply with the standards set by the Education Department relating to academics, infrastructure and administration. Recognition will be granted only after these norms are fulfilled and no laxity will be tolerated. He emphasised that quality of education is paramount and small madrasas failing to meet the standards will not be recognised.
While a large section of the Muslims in the state and also across the country have criticised the move, the government claims that its objective is to bring children of minority communities into the mainstream of Uttarakhand’s education system while allowing them to pursue religious learning.
