U’khand minority education authority constituted; Govt to scrap madrasa board

Dehradun, Feb 4 (IANS): Moving a step further towards the abolition of the Madrasa Board, the Uttarakhand government has set up a State Minority Education Authority that will preside over all minority educational institutions and regulate their functions, ranging from formulating the course curriculum to setting guidelines.
According to officials, the Pushkar Dhami government is set to abolish the Madrasa Board from July 2026, and all its functions will be taken over by the new minority education body.
Special Secretary Dr Parag Madhukar Dhakate stated that the Chief Minister had announced the abolition of the Madrasa Board in the last Assembly session, and added that all minority institutions would be brought under the umbrella of the Uttarakhand State Minority Education Authority from July this year.
Their recognition would be done through the Uttarakhand Board of School Education, he added.
Dr Parag further stated that eminent professors and scholars have been nominated to this Authority, who will determine the academic curriculum for minority students. Educators from all minority communities have been included in it.
According to him, Dr Surjit Singh Gandhi has been appointed as Chairman, while Prof Rakesh Jain, Dr Syed Ali Hamid, Prof Pema Tenzin, Dr Elba Medrile, Prof Robina Aman, and Prof Gurmeet Singh have been appointed as members.
Social worker Rajendra Bisht and retired officer Chandrashekhar Bhatt have also been made members.
The Director, Higher Education, the Director of the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), and the Director, Minority Welfare, will also be members of the Authority.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami also told the press that all minority institutions will be mandated to obtain recognition from the Uttarakhand Board of School Education.
“Our government has decided to constitute the State Minority Education Authority. Our government had taken the decision to abolish the Madrasa Board. Now, this Authority will decide what kind of education will be provided to minority children. This Authority will determine the syllabus. All minority institutions will obtain recognition from the Uttarakhand Board of School Education,” he said.