Dehradun, Feb. 5 -- The state government has notified the formation of the Uttarakhand State Minority Education Authority, which is responsible for managing minority education in the state after the dissolution of the State Madrassa Board, officials said. Surjit Singh Gandhi, assistant professor of Economics at the BSM PG College in Roorkee, was appointed chairman of the 12-member authority, said the official notification. The members are drawn from a variety of disciplines and include Rakesh Jain, professor of Psychology at the Gurukul Kangri Deemed to be University in Haridwar, Syed Ali Hamid, retired professor of English at Kumaon University, Elba Madrelle, assistant professor of English at Swargiya Chandra Singh Shahi Government Post Graduate College in Kapkot, Robina Aman, head of Chemistry department at Sobhan Singh Jeena University, Almora and Gurmeet Singh, professor of law at Kedar Nath Girdhari Lal Khatri (PG) College, Moradabad. In addition, social worker Rajendra Bisht and retired officer Chandrashekhar Bhatt have also been nominated as members. The Director of College Education, Director of State Educational Research, and the Director of Minority Welfare will also serve as officio members of the authority, which will be responsible for designing the academic syllabus for minority institutions in the state. "The chief minister had stated that from July, all minority institutions will be brought under the Uttarakhand State Minority Education Authority, and their recognition will be carried out through the Uttarakhand Education Board," said Parag Madhukar Dhakate, secretary of minority welfare. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the formation of the authority is part of the government's reform agenda in the education sector. "Our government has decided to form the State Minority Education Authority. We have also decided to abolish the Madrassa Board. This authority will now decide what kind of education will be given to minority children and will determine the syllabus," he said. He added that all minority institutions will now seek recognition from the Uttarakhand Education Board, bringing them into a uniform regulatory and academic framework. Last year, in August, the Uttarakhand Minority Education Bill-2025 was passed, which received the Governor's assent in October. Under this, the Madrasa Board is to be abolished in the state from July 2026, and there is a provision to constitute the State Minority Education Authority and bring all minority educational institutions under its purview. The new law grants minority educational institution status not only to the Muslim community but also to other minority communities in the state-Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Christian and Parsi communities. The state Congress has termed the law a violation of Article 25 and 26 of the Constitution, alleging that the law intended to further an agenda of religious polarisation. The Bharatiya Janata Party has dismissed the allegations and referred to the law as a landmark step in promoting equality and the welfare of minority communities in the state....