Uttarakhand on Wednesday abolished its statutory madrasa board and brought educational institutions run by all six notified minority communities under a single regulatory authority, becoming the first state in India to do so, The Indian Express reported.
The Uttarakhand Minority Education Act came into force on Wednesday, repealing the 2016 Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board Act and the 2019 Uttarakhand Non-Government Arabic and Persian Madrasa Recognition Rules.
In many parts of the Islamic world, a madrasa is an institution that imparts education – secular, or religious. In the Indian subcontinent, however, the word “madrasa” has evolved to refer solely to Islamic seminaries.
The new law establishes the Uttarakhand State Authority for Minority Education, which will regulate educational institutions run by Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Parsis, Jains and Buddhists.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the new authority on Wednesday and said the government did not intend to “affect the identity or traditions of any community” but only aimed “to provide better educational opportunities to all sections of society”, the newspaper reported.
“The government’s effort is to ensure that children remain connected to their cultural roots while becoming proficient in science, mathematics, computers, skill development and modern education,” he added.
The state government has also introduced National Council of Educational Research and Training textbooks in minority educational institutions, The Times of India reported.
The new 12-member minority education authority includes academics from fields such as economics, psychology and law, a retired English teacher from Kumaun University, two social workers, and the directors of higher education, the state council of educational research and minority welfare.
It will oversee recognition of minority educational institutions, design academic curricula and monitor educational standards.
Under the new system, all minority educational institutions must complete a two-stage process by obtaining affiliation from the Uttarakhand Board of Education and recognition from the new authority.
Applications must be submitted online and recognition will remain valid for three academic years, after which institutions must apply for renewal.
The law based on which the body was created was passed by the Uttarakhand Assembly in August 2025.
It followed a crackdown on madrasas that the government said were operating without recognition.
In March 2025, the Uttarakhand government had sealed 136 madrasas, claiming that they were not registered with the education department or madrasa board.
At the time, officials estimated that Uttarakhand had about 452 registered madrasas alongside several hundred unrecognised institutions.
The move comes more than a year after Uttarakhand became the first state in independent India to implement a Uniform Civil Code.
Edited by Neerad Pandharipande.
Also read:
You’ve read Scroll.
Now help sustain it
Scroll is funded by readers, not corporate owners. If you believe our work matters, support our newsroom. Become a member today!
We’re not driven by clicks or corporate interests – just honest, independent reporting. Keep us going. Support Scroll today!