Uttarakhand Education Department records show no non-madrasa minority educational institution in the state meets the mandatory 85 per cent minority enrolment condition. Madrasas are the only institutions to satisfy the requirement.
The State Minority Education Authority (SMEA) holds the records. The state government formed the authority around eight months ago to recognise madrasas and other minority institutions. Its data covers 91 non-madrasa minority institutions. Of these, 27 are secondary schools and 64 basic-level institutions. None of the 91 meets the enrolment norm.
The issue surfaced after the P.S.Dhami government introduced new norms. Under them, minority institutions must ensure at least 85% of their students belong to minority communities. They must also obtain recognition from the SMEA. The state made the condition mandatory for both recognition and renewal.
SMEA records list 452 madrasas in the state. Only around 450 madrasas, which earlier worked under the now-abandoned State MadarsaEducation Board, qualified for minority status. To date, 35 madrasas and two other minority institutions have obtained recognition from the authority. Officials said most institutions have not approached the SMEA since the policy change.
Institutions now need to check their enrolment records against the 85% rule, prepare the three-year registers and apply to the SMEA. Those which delay risk legal action.