Following the recent sealing of 136 madrasas in Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed officials to conduct a thorough investigation into the funding sources of these institutions.
The move is part of a broader crackdown on unregistered religious institutions and unauthorized structures in the state.
Since March, authorities have taken action against madrasas that were found operating without registration from either the education department or the Madrasa Board.
Government estimates indicate that Uttarakhand has approximately 450 registered madrasas, while an additional 500 are operating without official recognition from these two regulatory bodies. Despite lacking recognition, these institutions have been functioning under the Societies Registration Act.
A government statement reiterated that the drive against illegal madrasas, unauthorized religious sites, and encroachments would continue. Officials have particularly noted the presence of unregistered madrasas in towns bordering Uttar Pradesh, raising security concerns over such institutions operating without oversight.
In January, the Chief Minister ordered a verification drive to survey the state's madrasas and examine various aspects, including their financial backing.
As part of this effort, district administrations have been conducting inspections. So far, 64 madrasas have been sealed in Udham Singh Nagar, 44 in Dehradun, 26 in Haridwar, and two in Pauri Garhwal, according to official reports.
Khurshid Ahmed, the state secretary for Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind, has criticised the government's actions, calling the exercise unlawful. He argued that the managers of the affected institutions were not given prior notice before the closures.
He further stated that large-scale operations of this nature require formal government orders, which, according to him, were not issued. Additionally, Ahmed pointed out that the sealing took place during Ramadan, a period when many students were at home, and some institutions had already shut down following year-end examinations.
He expressed concerns about the ability of displaced students to integrate into other schools and adapt to new curricula.
Mufti Shamoom Qasmi, chairperson of the Madrasa Board, assured that students from the sealed madrasas would be accommodated in nearby schools and madrasas. He urged the administration to facilitate this transition, emphasising that every child has the right to education.
The Board intends to assess the number of affected students once the official report on the drive is available to ensure their education is not disrupted.
Addressing concerns over differences between madrasa and conventional school curricula, Qasmi mentioned that the education department would work on resolving these disparities.
In Uttar Pradesh, the government has already recognized equivalence for certain madrasa courses—Munshi and Maulvi for Class 10 and Alim for Class 12. A set of guidelines is being developed to establish similar equivalences in Uttarakhand.
The Education Board, headquartered in Ramnagar, is expected to handle the process of granting official recognition to madrasa education.
While district magistrates from all 13 districts have conducted a state-wide inspection of madrasas, the findings have yet to be made public.
Recognised madrasas fall under the purview of state madrasa education boards, whereas unrecognised institutions typically follow the curricula prescribed by larger seminaries such as Darul Uloom Nadwatul Ulama and Darul Uloom Deoband. The ongoing probe into their funding and compliance status is expected to determine the future course of action for these institutions.
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