Uttarakhand clears bill to regulate minority institutions

The BJP government in Uttarakhand has cleared a landmark bill aimed at regulating minority educational institutions in the state, a move that will also repeal the existing Madrasa Act.In a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday, the government approved the Uttarakhand Minority Education (UME) Bill, which is set to be introduced in the upcoming Assembly session this week.According to information,the bill proposes the creation of a regulatory authority that will oversee minority-run institutions, grant approvals, and decide on the academic curriculum to ensure alignment with the state’s Board of School Education. This move is intended to bring all minority community-run institutions under one framework, similar to the government’s earlier introduction of the Universal Civil Code (UCC) to regulate personal laws.
With the bill’s enactment, the Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board Act, 2016, and the Uttarakhand Non-Government Arabic and Persian Madrasa Recognition Rules, 2019, will be repealed. This effectively means that madrasas, along with other minority-run schools, will come under the direct ambit of the new regulatory authority.Currently, around 450 madrasas are registered in the state, mainly in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar. The government has recently taken action against 237 illegal madrasas operating without recognition,according to information.Until now, only institutions managed by the Muslim community were recognised as minority educational institutions in Uttarakhand. The new bill expands the scope, bringing Christian, Sikh, and other minority-run institutions within the regulatory fold. The state is also home to prominent Christian-run schools in Mussoorie, Dehradun, and Nainital.

Key Features of the Bill:
•Mandatory approval from the new authority for an institution to qualify as a minority educational institution.
•Authority empowered to decide curriculum and ensure compliance with state education standards.
•Uniform regulations across all minority communities.