uttarakhand-clears-minority-institutions-bill-amid-uproar

The Uttarakhand Assembly on Wednesday passed the Minority Educational Institutions Bill, which seeks to regulate all minority institutions in the state by establishing a new authority, amid uproar from the Opposition benches.

 

The Bill, introduced in the House on Tuesday, sparked heated exchanges between the Treasury and Opposition benches.

 

Congress members raised allegations of rigging in the recent panchayat elections and criticised the state government over what they described as deteriorating law and order. Before proceedings began, several Congress leaders staged a sit-in outside the Assembly.

 

With the passage of the Bill, the benefits of minority status will no longer remain restricted to Muslim-run educational institutions but will also extend to Sikh, Jain, Christian, Parsi and Buddhist institutions.

 

The legislation paves the way for the creation of the Uttarakhand State Minority Education Authority (USMEA), which will replace the existing Uttarakhand Madrassa Board. The new authority will be responsible for granting recognition and setting standards for all minority institutions in the state.

 

The ruling BJP described the Bill as a step towards fairness for all communities, while accusing the Congress of opposing it for political reasons linked to its Muslim vote bank. The Congress, however, questioned the intent of Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami’s government, calling the move politically motivated.

 

Uttarakhand is already the first state in India to have passed a law implementing a Uniform Civil Code (UCC), regulating personal laws relating to marriage, divorce and adoption.

 

Much like the UCC, the Minority Educational Institutions Bill aims to bring all institutions run by minority communities under a single regulatory framework. Until now, only Muslim-run institutions were formally recognised as minority educational institutions.

 

According to the legislation, all madrasas in the state must seek affiliation with the Uttarakhand Education Board by July 1, 2026.

 

They will then be required to apply for minority status through the newly created Uttarakhand State Authority for Minority Education (USAME). Only institutions meeting the prescribed conditions will be granted minority status, while unrecognised madrasas face the prospect of closure.