Uttarakhand abolishes madrasa board, brings all minority institutions under one authority

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...

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