Uttarakhand Reviews Madrasa Education After Implementing UCC

Months after implementing the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Act, 2024, the Uttarakhand government has shifted its policy focus towards madrasa education, with discussions underway on potentially abolishing the state Madrasa Board. The move marks a continuation of the state’s broader reform agenda following the implementation of the UCC, which came into effect on January 27, 2025, replacing religion-based personal laws in civil matters.

Officials associated with the policy exercise said the government now aims to extend reforms beyond civil law into the education sector. Manu Gaur, a member of the UCC drafting committee and the Strategic Advisory Committee (SAC), said the reform process must include ensuring equal access to modern education for all children. He argued that educational deprivation could not be allowed to continue under any framework, signalling the government’s intent to align minority education systems more closely with mainstream academic structures.

The issue was taken up within the SAC, which was constituted on June 5, 2025, under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister to advise on key policy matters. During discussions, Gaur reportedly proposed that special attention be given to children studying in madrasas who may have limited exposure to mainstream education. Senior officials, including IPS officer Abhinav Kumar, also participated in consultations, drawing on experiences from security and administrative work in other parts of the country.

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Following these deliberations, members of the committee, including Gaur and former Chief Secretary Shatrughna Singh, reviewed the Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board Act, 2016, and related recognition regulations framed in 2019. Inputs were also sought from Madrasa Board officials and representatives of the Minority Welfare Department. According to officials involved, preliminary findings suggested that a significant number of madrasas in the state may be operating without formal recognition.

The committee also estimated that only a small percentage of Muslim school-going children—reportedly between 2 to 4 percent—are enrolled in madrasas, strengthening the argument, as per officials, for integrating students into mainstream education while preserving space for cultural and religious learning. Supporters of the proposal say the objective is not targeted at any community but aimed at creating uniform academic standards and expanding future employment opportunities.

However, the proposal has also brought renewed attention to the balance between minority educational rights and state-led reform. Gaur cited Supreme Court judgments, including the T.M.A. Pai Foundation and P.A. Inamdar cases, to argue that while minority institutions have the right to administer educational establishments, they remain subject to regulatory standards meant to ensure quality education. The matter is expected to undergo further review as the state government weighs its next steps on the future of madrasa administration in Uttarakhand.

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