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Uttarakhand Seals 20 Madrasas as New Education Regime Takes Shape
Confirmed
In Short: On April 19, 2026, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced the abolition of the Madrasa Board in Uttarakhand, requiring all madrasas to adopt the state education curriculum by July 2026.
The government's move, described as an effort to modernize education, has sparked tensions with minority educational institutions and their supporters, who see it as a threat to their autonomy and cultural identity.
Madrasa administrators and social activist Taufiq Elahi Qasmi described the move as a 'political deception,' arguing that it misleads the public about equality for Muslims.
According to reports, the state government has shut down 20 madrasas across Uttarakhand, with five more sealed in Dehradun and Haldwani, following the abolition of the Madrasa Board.
What's confirmed
What's still developing
- On April 19, 2026, in the city of Haridwar, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced the abolition of the Madrasa Board and said that all madrasas would be required to adopt the state education curriculum beginning in July 2026.
- “The government is pressuring madrasas to come under the education department,” he said.
- The future of madrasas and minority educational institutions in the Indian state of Uttarakhand now appears headed toward a major legal and political confrontation, as tensions grow between government-led “reforms” and the preservation of minority identity.
- The move is being described by the government as an effort to modernize the education system and bring students into the “national mainstream.” However, many Muslim scholars and madrasa representatives view the decision differently.
- Speaking at the event in Haridwar, the Chief Minister stated that institutions failing to follow the state education board’s curriculum after July 2026 would face closure.
- The announcement was welcomed by several Hindutva religious leaders present at the gathering, who described the decision as a step toward integrating madrasas into the national mainstream.
- Critics point out that no Islamic scholars, religious education specialists, or experienced madrasa teachers have been included in the authority.
- “The state government’s action against madrasas not complying with prescribed recognition requirements and educational standards is continuing,” Minority Affairs Secretary Dr Parag Madhukar Dhakate said in a statement.