Uttarakhand: Uttarakhand government has issued new rules regarding recognition and renewal of minority educational institutions in the state. Under this new provision, institutions will now have to follow many strict conditions to maintain recognition. The most important condition in the rules is that the enrollment of students from non-minority community in any institution should not exceed 15%.
After this decision of the government, a new debate has started in the education sector, because this rule will apply to other minority institutions except madrassas. Educational institutions run by Sikh, Christian, Buddhist, Parsi and Jain communities generally already have a high number of non-minority students, so this provision is being considered challenging for them.
The state government has also clarified that the Madarsa Board will be abolished from July 1, 2026. In its place, Uttarakhand Minority Education Authority has been formed, which will recognize and monitor all minority educational institutions.
Under the new system, it will be mandatory for all interested institutions to apply on the authority’s online portal. The prescribed fee will also have to be paid online along with the application. Apart from this, for renewal of recognition, the institutions will have to give a declaration certifying that the enrollment of non-minority students has not been more than 15 percent in each of the last three academic years.
According to education experts, this rule may see a major change in the operation and admission policy of minority institutions. The government says that this step has been taken to ensure transparency and standardization in the education system.
At present, the discussion regarding this manual has intensified in various educational organizations and communities. More clarity regarding its impact and challenges is expected to emerge in the coming times.