The Uttarakhand cabinet has approved the Uttarakhand Minority Educational Institutions Bill, 2025, a move described as a "significant and historic step" in education. The bill, set to be introduced in the legislative session starting August 19, 2025, aims to extend minority status benefits to educational institutions of Sikhs, Jains, Christians, Buddhists, and Parsis, in addition to Muslims. This marks a significant change, as previously, minority educational status under state law applied only to Muslim institutions.
The new legislation will replace the Uttarakhand Madrassa Education Board Act, 2016, and the Uttarakhand Non-Government Arabic and Persian Madrassa Recognition Rules, 2019, with the repeal effective from July 1, 2026. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has stated that the government is committed to protecting the constitutional rights of minority communities and providing equal opportunities in education. He also emphasized that the bill will enhance transparency and ensure educational quality and excellence, promoting social harmony and inclusive development.
Key provisions of the new law include the establishment of the Uttarakhand State Minority Education Authority (USMEA). This authority will oversee the quality of education in minority institutions and conduct assessments according to the standards of the Uttarakhand School Education Board. Mandatory recognition for minority institutions is another key feature, requiring institutions run by Muslim, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, and Parsi communities to obtain formal recognition from USMEA. The Act aims to ensure maintenance of quality education without interfering in the creation and functioning of these institutions.
The USMEA will also decide on the academic curriculum to be followed by minority institutions. The bill ensures protection from interference and mandates registration under the Society, Trust, or Company Acts. Government officials have indicated that the new law will pave the way for teaching Gurmukhi and Pali languages in recognized minority educational institutions.
Furthermore, the state government will have the power to revoke the recognition of any minority institution found guilty of financial mismanagement, lack of transparency, or activities threatening religious or social harmony. The SMEA will monitor and evaluate the education quality, ensuring compliance with Uttarakhand Education Board standards and fair student assessments.
This initiative makes Uttarakhand the first state in the country to introduce a law aimed at creating a transparent system for granting minority status to educational institutions of all recognized minority communities. There are approximately 450 madrasas registered in Uttarakhand, primarily in Haridwar and Udham Singh Nagar. In recent months, the state government has taken action against 237 illegal madrasas. Uttarakhand is also home to several prominent Christian minority-run educational institutions and schools in Mussoorie, Dehradun, and Nainital.
The Uttarakhand government has also been the first state to implement a Universal Civil Code (UCC) to regulate personal laws. Similar to the UCC, this bill on minority education seeks to bring all minority community-run institutions under a regulatory authority.
