Uttarakhand has become the first state in India to abolish its Madrasa Board, marking a major shift in how minority-run institutions will function in the education system. The move follows the passage of the Uttarakhand Minority Education Bill, 2025, approved recently by Governor Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh (retd). This law replaces the existing madrasa framework with a new Minority Education Authority, bringing all minority educational institutions—Muslim, Sikh, Jain, Christian, Parsi, and Buddhist—under a single regulatory system linked to the state school board.
The Uttarakhand Minority Education Bill 2025 abolishes the Madrasa Board, bringing all minority-run schools under the state board and NEP framework.A new education framework
From July 2026, all minority-run schools and madrasas will be required to affiliate with the Uttarakhand Board of School Education and adopt the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) prescribed under the New Education Policy (NEP) 2020. This means subjects, syllabi, and learning methods will now be in line with those followed in mainstream schools. The Dhami government has described the law as a step towards “equitable and modern education for all students.”
Institutions that fail to complete their affiliation process by July 2026 will risk closure, according to official notifications. The government argues that this reform aims to ensure “equal opportunities” and eliminate parallel education systems that, it claims, limit career and academic mobility for students studying in madrasas.
Addressing past irregularities in Uttarakhand
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the decision was not limited to religious education reform but also sought to improve transparency. “Until now, recognition of minority institutions was limited to the Muslim community only,” he said after the Bill was passed in the Assembly. Over the years, investigations into the distribution of central scholarships, mid-day meal schemes, and administrative management of some madrasas revealed gaps in accountability. The government believes the new law will introduce uniform standards of quality and transparency across all minority institutions.
With this, the Madrasa Education Board Act and the Non-Government Arabic and Persian Madrasa Recognition Rules will cease to exist from July 1, 2026. The newly formed Minority Education Authority will handle recognition, monitoring, and regulation of all such institutions, ensuring compliance with both academic and administrative norms.
Part of a broader legislative package
The passage of the Minority Education Bill came alongside two other major laws — amendments to the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and the Freedom of Religion and Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion Act. Both have stirred intense debate across political and civil society circles.
The UCC Amendment Bill, 2025, introduced stricter provisions around live-in relationships. A married person entering a live-in relationship could face up to seven years of imprisonment and a fine. It also made coercive or fraudulent live-in arrangements punishable under similar terms. Additionally, it extended the deadline for registering marriages from six months to one year and gave the Registrar General new powers to cancel registrations related to marriage, divorce, live-in partnerships, and inheritance disputes.
The Freedom of Religion Amendment Bill, 2025, went even further. It replaced the previous maximum sentence of ten years for “forced conversions” with penalties ranging from three years to life imprisonment. The opposition, led by the Congress, condemned these changes, accusing the government of rushing the legislation without adequate discussion. Protests and effigy burnings were reported across several districts, as critics called the move an attempt to suppress dissent and control minority communities.
Reactions and implications
For supporters, the Dhami government’s actions represent a strong step toward educational reform and administrative accountability. They argue that the integration of madrasas and minority schools into the mainstream curriculum will help students access higher education and employment on equal terms with others.
However, critics view these decisions as part of a larger ideological experiment. Uttarakhand, in recent years, has been described as a “testing ground” for policies closely aligned with Hindutva politics. From renaming towns and villages to implementing the Uniform Civil Code, several government initiatives have been interpreted as reflecting the ruling party’s ideological priorities.
Whether these changes ultimately foster equality or deepen divides will depend on how they are implemented in the coming years. For now, Uttarakhand stands at the intersection of reform and controversy — reshaping not only its education system but also its political and cultural identity.
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