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What is happening to madrasas in Uttarakhand? Govt approves minority education bill
Uttarakhand has approved the Minority Education Bill, 2025, abolishing the Madrasa Board and bringing all minority-run schools under a uniform law.
Uttarakhand is set to overhaul the regulation of minority educational institutions, including madrasas, following the approval of the Uttarakhand Minority Education Bill, 2025, by Governor Lt. Gen. Gurmeet Singh (Retd.).
The bill will abolish the existing Madrasa Board and introduce a uniform law to govern all minority-run schools in the state.
Under this new framework, an authority will be established to grant official recognition to minority educational institutions and ensure that their operations meet the standards set by the Uttarakhand Board of School Education.
This authority will also oversee fair and transparent student evaluations.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on October 6, "With the Governor's approval, the path for this bill to become law has been paved."
He added that the law would help make the education system in the state more transparent, accountable, and quality-oriented.
The legislation repeals the Madrasa Education Board Act, 2016, and the Non-Government Arabic and Persian Madrasa Recognition Rules, 2019, with effect from July 1, 2026.
It will also extend minority educational institution status beyond the Muslim community, covering Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian, and Parsi schools, which until now had not received such recognition.
The CM had previously stated that "The Madrasa education system had been facing serious problems for years, including irregularities in central scholarship distribution, irregularities in mid-day meal scheme and a lack of transparency in management."
He stated that this Bill would "Empower the government to effectively monitor the operation of minority educational institutions and issue necessary directives, thereby further strengthening educational excellence and social harmony in the state."
The new law will allow the government to monitor the functioning of minority educational institutions effectively, issue necessary directives, and promote educational excellence and social harmony across the state.
At least 170 Madrasas have been sealed by officials in Uttarakhand in the past few months.
The bill was passed during the monsoon session of the Assembly held in Gairsain and had previously received the approval of the state cabinet in August 2025.
