Uttarakhand, Feb 04 : The Uttarakhand government has established the State Minority Education Authority, a new regulatory body that will take over the responsibilities of the Madrasa Board once its tenure ends in July 2026.
A notification issued by Parag Madhukar Dhakate, Special Secretary to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, confirmed that Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) approved the authority’s creation along with the appointment of 12 members, including a chairperson.
Surjit Singh Gandhi has been named chairman, while members include Rakesh Jain, Syed Ali Hamid, Pema Tenzin, Elba Madrile, Robina Aman, Gurmeet Singh, social worker Rajendra Bisht, and retired officer Chandrashekhar Bhatt. The Directors General of School Education, the State Council of Educational Research and Training, and Minority Welfare will serve as ex officio members.
Backed by legislation passed last year
The move follows the passage of the Uttarakhand Minority Education Bill-2025, which secured the Governor’s assent in October. The law mandates the dissolution of the Madrasa Board and calls for a unified authority to regulate minority educational institutions across the state.
Wider recognition for minority institutions
Under the new framework, minority institution status will extend beyond the Muslim community to include Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian, and Parsi groups. Previously, such recognition was largely confined to Muslim-run institutions.
Officials say the authority is expected to streamline governance, ensure consistent oversight, and bring all minority educational establishments under a single administrative structure.