Saralnama
The Uttarakhand Assembly passed the Minority Educational Institutions Bill 2025 on August 20, extending minority status benefits to educational institutions run by Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian, Parsi, and Muslim communities. The Bill repeals the existing Madarsa Acts to unify minority educational institutions under one law, aiming to ensure transparency, quality education, and financial accountability. It mandates registration of institutions under relevant laws and establishes the Uttarakhand State Authority for Minority Education to oversee recognition and compliance. The Bill also officially recognizes Gurumukhi and Pali languages in the state. The government initiated this reform following a crackdown on illegal madarsas, citing concerns over irregularities and misuse of funds. While the Madarsa Board chairman welcomed the Bill as inclusive, some Muslim leaders and opposition politicians criticized it as discriminatory and a threat to Muslim religious education. The state government maintains the Bill respects constitutional rights and does not interfere with religious education, focusing instead on operational standards and transparency. (Updated 28 Aug 2025, 12:42 IST; source: link)