Now Reading: UP govt clips madrasa degree powers ahead of 2027 polls
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UP govt clips madrasa degree powers ahead of 2027 polls
The Uttar Pradesh cabinet in August 2026 approved amendments to implement a Supreme Court ruling from November 2024 that barred the state Madarsa Board from awarding Kamil and Fazil degrees, which are…
The Uttar Pradesh cabinet in August 2026 approved amendments to implement a Supreme Court ruling from November 2024 that barred the state Madarsa Board from awarding Kamil and Fazil degrees, which are roughly equivalent to bachelor's and master's degrees. The court had ruled that only UGC-approved universities or institutions empowered by Parliament or state legislatures could issue such degrees. The UP Madarsa Board can now only issue certificates up to the matriculation or Aalim level.
The decision affects around 16,500 recognised madrasas in the state, of which 560 receive government grants. The minister of state for minority welfare, Danish Azad Ansari, has assured that teachers already employed on the strength of Kamil or Fazil degrees will not lose their jobs. However, a separate petition seeking permission for Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti Language University in Lucknow to conduct university-level madrasa exams, approved by its executive council in 2022, remains pending before the Supreme Court.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The core issue is that madrasa degrees now lack the legal equivalence that enables graduates to apply for government jobs or higher education in mainstream universities. With around 25,000 madrasas in UP, the impact on students seeking a pathway to employment or further study is substantial. The government's decision, timed before the 2027 assembly elections, leaves students and teachers in limbo. A key signal to watch is whether the Supreme Court hears the pending petition for Chishti University to conduct exams, which would offer an alternative route to recognised degrees.
Source: nationalheraldindia.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
