Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on 1 July 2025 announced that the Uttarakhand Minority Education Act has come into force, marking a sweeping overhaul of minority schooling in the state. Simultaneously, the Madrasa Education Board stands completely dissolved, along with the Recognition Rules for Non-Governmental Arabic-Persian Madrasas — effective the same date.

What the New Law Replaces

The Madrasa Education Board Act, which had governed madrasa functioning in Uttarakhand for years, has been repealed in its entirety. In its place, a unified regulatory framework under the Minority Education Act will now govern all minority educational institutions in the state. Chief Minister Dhami confirmed the change in a post on X, stating: 'Today, the Uttarakhand Minorities Education Act has come into effect. Along with this, the Madrasa Education Board Act and the Recognition Rules for Non-Governmental Arabic-Persian Madrasas have been repealed.'

New Authority and Its Composition

A State Minority Education Authority has been constituted under the new law. Professor Surjeet Singh Gandhi has been appointed as its Chairman. The Authority's membership includes scholars and educators drawn from multiple minority communities — Professor Rakesh Kumar Jain, Dr Syed Ali Hamid, Professor Pema Tenzing, Professor Gurmeet Singh, Dr Elba Mandrele, Professor Robin Aman, Chandrashekhar Bhatt, and Rajendra Singh Bisht.

The Director General of School Education and the Director of SCERT serve as ex-officio members, while the Director of Minority Welfare will function as ex-officio Member Secretary.

Key Educational Reforms Introduced

Students enrolled in minority educational institutions across Uttarakhand will now receive textbooks based on the NCERT curriculum — a significant pedagogical shift from the earlier madrasa-specific syllabi. The government says the new framework will ensure a 'equitable and transparent recognition process' for all minority institutions.

Chief Minister Dhami framed the reforms as part of a broader commitment — made under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi — to build an education system that is 'modern, transparent, high-quality, accountable, and rooted in the values of nation-building.'

Political and Policy Context

Uttarakhand's move follows a broader pattern seen across several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-governed states, where madrasa boards have faced regulatory scrutiny or dissolution. Uttar Pradesh and Assam have undertaken similar reviews in recent years. Critics of such moves have argued that dissolving madrasa boards without adequate transitional support could disrupt the education of students already enrolled in those institutions. The Dhami government has not yet detailed a specific transition roadmap for existing madrasa students.

With the new Authority now operational, the state's next steps — including how existing madrasas will seek recognition under the revised framework — will be closely watched by minority community representatives and education policy observers alike.