The Uttarakhand Minority Education Authority has come into existence today, replacing the Madrasa Board in the state. With this, all 456 madrasas in Uttarakhand will now be monitored by both the State Government and the Central Government.

 

The Uttarakhand Government has taken this significant step to make the education system more modern, transparent and inclusive. State Minister for Social Welfare and Minority Welfare, Khajan Das, said that all recognised madrasas currently operating in the state will now come under the Uttarakhand Minority Education Authority. They will also be affiliated with the Uttarakhand Board of School Education to ensure that students receive education in line with national education standards.

 

He said that the new system will not be limited to institutions of the Muslim community alone but will also apply equally to educational institutions run by the Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian and Parsi minority communities.

All madrasas have been allotted UDISE (Unified District Information System for Education) numbers. Through this system, the academic and administrative details of every madrasa will be uploaded to the Ministry of Education’s digital portal. Only institutions complying with the prescribed norms will be eligible to avail benefits under various Central Government schemes.

 

The Authority has also made recognition mandatory for all madrasas. Of the total, 400 madrasas running classes from I to VIII will have to obtain affiliation from the office of the District Chief Education Officer, while 56 madrasas imparting education up to Class XII will be affiliated with the Uttarakhand Board of School Education, Ramnagar. The entire process will be conducted online. So far, 137 madrasas have applied for recognition through the Authority’s portal. The Government says the primary objective of the new Authority is to integrate these institutions into the mainstream by promoting modern and quality education.