Uttarakhand shuts down madrasas for 'illegal operations,' students affected

In March, the Uttarakhand government, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), carried out a sweeping crackdown on 136 madrasas (Islamic schools) across the state, claiming these institutions were operating illegally and failing to provide proper education.

The crackdown has caused significant upheaval, leaving students like Aashyan from Madarsaa Irshad-Ul-Uloom in Roorkee among those affected.

The state government has said that these madrasas violate educational norms, and sources indicate that around 500 such institutions could be shut down in the coming months.

Aashyan’s father, Nafees Ahmed, expressing about the devastating impact the closure has had on his family, said, "The madrasas was the place where my children used to get a full meal, twice a day, as I am unable to earn enough to feed my family of seven. The teachers also provided my children with bags, books, and clothes for the winter. Now, I have to take them to the brick kiln where I work, and the heat is unbearable during the summer," he said.

Nafees, who is illiterate, further expressed his frustration with the lack of education opportunities for his children.

He sends his three daughters to a nearby government school but laments that the education provided is subpar due to the shortage of teachers—only two teachers are available for a large number of students.

A recent report from the Uttarakhand Commission for Rural Development and Migration Prevention revealed alarming figures about the state's education system.

It noted that 1,149 primary schools in Uttarakhand are operating without teachers, and around half of the government-run primary schools lack a principal. These shortages primarily affect schools serving students from grades 1 to 8.

Maulana Haroon, the head of Madrasaa Irshad-Ul-Uloom in Roorkee, defended his institution, saying that he had applied for registration with the Uttarakhand Madrasa Board long ago but was met with delays.

"The Board convened just one meeting between 2019 and 2025 in which they approved registration applications. If the registration process is so slow, how are we supposed to get permission?" he asked.

Haroon emphasized that his madrasa was not only teaching Islamic studies but also essential subjects like Hindi, English, mathematics, and science to ensure that students were not left behind in their education.

Abdul Rehman, a teacher at Madrasa Jamiul Uloom in Dehradun's Sahaspur area, described the government's action to seal part of the Madrasa’s building as an injustice.

"This madrasa was built in 1971, and no map approval was needed at the time. We were only constructing a third floor because the first two floors were leaking. We explained the situation to the authorities and asked for time to apply for permission, but they refused," Rehman said. His madrasa has all the required registration.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Azim, a 13-year-old student at Global School in Dehradun, has been attending evening Quran classes at Anwariya Hafatul Uloom, a small tuition center in Bharuwala.

Like many others, Azim’s classes were sealed in the crackdown. He and his friends are now searching for alternative tuition classes, but many are closed due to fears of further crackdowns.

Khursheed Ahmed Siddique, the Secretary of Jamiat Ulema Hindu (Uttarakhand), has condemned the sealing of Madrasas, claiming the actions are politically motivated.

"The government is going after a particular community. The aim is not to provide quality education to children but to prevent Muslims from learning and practicing their religion. They are not just shutting down Madrasas but also Makhtabs, which are simply tuition classes for teaching Arabic, the language in which the Quran is written," Siddique said.

He further explained that makhtabs do not require affiliation since they serve students who are already attending regular schools during the day.

As many students' futures remain uncertain, the Uttarakhand Child Rights Panel has urged the government to ensure that all affected children are admitted to schools.

Government sources confirm that a list of students from the sealed Madrasas is being compiled, and necessary actions will be taken to address their education needs.

Responding to the allegations about the registration process, Mufti Shamoon Qasmi, Chairman of the Uttarakhand Madrasa Education Board, defended the board’s actions.

"Even though the board held only one meeting over five years, we received 88 applications for registration. In February, we approved 49 institutions and asked 37 to meet the required norms. We also renewed the registration of 48 Madrasas," Qasmi said.

He clarified that makhtabs are not considered madrasas and suggested that if they are being sealed, the owners should submit a written statement confirming they are only running evening tuition classes. He further promised that a request would be made to the government to unseal these institutions.