Uttarakhand dissolves madrasa board; state curriculum compulsory from July
What's the story
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced the dissolution of the state's Madrasa Board. From July 1, 2026, all madrasas in Uttarakhand will be required to follow the syllabus prescribed by the Uttarakhand Education Board. Speaking at an event in Haridwar, Dhami said that institutions failing to implement this new requirement will be shut down, adding the move is aimed at providing uniform and modern education to all students.
Speech
11 mandatory conditions
"Taking another historic decision in the state, we have decided to dissolve the Madrasa Board, which has been operating here for many years. From July 2026, all madrasas in Uttarakhand will teach the syllabus prescribed by the Uttarakhand Education Board. Institutions that fail to implement this will be closed," Dhami said. According to RSS mouthpiece Organizer, under the revamped structure, madrasas must now meet 11 mandatory conditions outlined in Section 14 of the Minority Authority.
Religious backing
Madrasas must present audit reports from the previous 3 years
These include the selection of certified teachers with recognized degrees, mandatory membership in the State Education Council, registration with the society registrar, and financial transparency through institutional bank accounts. The new guidelines also state that neither students nor teachers can be forced to participate in religious activities and that institutions must ensure communal harmony. Furthermore, madrasas must present audit reports from the previous three years, have access to a playground, and employ trained teaching staff.
Controversial statements
Mahant Ravindra Puri calls for closure of all madrasas
The announcement of scrapping the Madrasa Board was welcomed by several Hindu religious leaders at the event. Swami Chidanand Muni of Parmarth Ashram supported the move, saying it would help integrate students into the national mainstream. Mahant Ravindra Puri, president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, took a more extreme position. He linked madrasas to various forms of "jihad" and called for their closure across India.
Unanswered queries
No response yet from opposition parties, Muslim organizations
There has been no immediate response from opposition parties or Muslim organizations to the Chief Minister's announcement. The decision to dissolve the Madrasa Board has been opposed by Muslim community leaders in the past. Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangi Mahali of All India Muslim Personal Law Board had called it unlawful. All India Muslim Jamaat National President Maulana Mufti Shahabuddin Razvi Barelvi also questioned why reforms couldn't be implemented through existing structures instead of dissolving them.