The Uttarakhand government on Tuesday introduced the Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2025, in the Legislative Assembly, marking a significant shift in the state’s approach to minority education.
The bill proposes the establishment of the Uttarakhand State Minority Education Authority, which will replace the current Uttarakhand Madrasa Board.
The existing Madrasa Board was created under the Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board Act, enacted by the previous Congress government led by Harish Rawat in 2016.
Under the new bill, all madrasas operating in Uttarakhand will be required to obtain affiliation from the Uttarakhand Education Board by July 1, 2026.
Post-affiliation, these institutions must apply to the Uttarakhand State Minority Education Authority to receive minority status. The authority will grant this status only if the institutions meet the prescribed criteria laid down under the new law.
The bill seeks to streamline the regulation and recognition of minority educational institutions across the state, ensuring better oversight and adherence to educational standards.
The Assembly is scheduled to take a decision on the bill tomorrow on August 19, 2025.
So far, only Muslim-run institutions in the state had access to minority educational status. The proposed legislation seeks to bring parity by extending this recognition to institutions run by Sikh, Jain, Christian, Buddhist, and Parsi communities.
After it is enacted, it will also allow the teaching of Gurmukhi and Pali in recognised minority institutions.
In a significant policy shift, the Cabinet earlier also decided that the Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board Act, 2016, and the Uttarakhand Non-Government Arabic and Persian Madrasa Recognition Rules, 2019, will be repealed effective July 1, 2026.
The bill proposes the creation of a Uttarakhand State Authority for Minority Education, which will be responsible for granting and regulating minority educational status across the state.
According to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami government, the Bill is aimed at ensuring quality education, standardised recognition procedures, and fair management of institutions.
The Minority Education Bill 2025, once rolled out, will be the first legislation in India to establish a clear and uniform recognition process for minority educational institutions across multiple communities.
It is aimed at promoting educational excellence, transparency, and fair administration, while magnifying the scope of minority benefits beyond the Muslim community.
The bill comes six months after a state-led madrasa-sealing drive, which targeted unrecognised institutions. This also reflects the government’s effort to regulate and standardise minority education in Uttarakhand.