Uttarakhand Governor Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd) has approved the Uttarakhand Minority Education Bill, 2025, marking a major change in the state’s education system. The bill aims to bring minority educational institutions, including madrasas, into the mainstream education framework.

Once implemented, the law will abolish the existing Madrasa Board, and all madrasas in Uttarakhand will have to get official recognition from the newly formed Uttarakhand Minority Education Authority and also affiliate with the Uttarakhand Board of School Education.

What Pushkar Singh Dhami said

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami welcomed the Governor’s approval, calling it a historic move that will make the education system more transparent, accountable, and of better quality. He said the new law will establish a special authority for minority education, which will handle recognition and regulation of these institutions. “After this bill is implemented, madrasas will also need to be recognised under the Uttarakhand Education Board,” Dhami said in a post on X.

With this step, Uttarakhand will become the first state in India to dismantle its Madrasa Board. According to the Chief Minister’s Office, this initiative is part of the government’s effort to ensure that children studying in minority schools receive the same quality of education as those in other schools.

Starting from the academic session of July 2026, all minority schools will also be required to follow the National Curriculum Framework (NCF) and the New Education Policy (NEP 2020). CM Dhami said the goal is to ensure equal education and equal opportunities for every child, regardless of religion or background.

However, the move has also sparked controversy and criticism from several Muslim groups and leaders. They have accused the government of interfering in religious matters and targeting minorities. Despite the criticism, the state government maintains that the reform is aimed at improving education standards and providing better opportunities for all students in Uttarakhand.