In a significant development, the Supreme Court on November 5 ruled in favor of the 2004 Uttar Pradesh Board of Madrasa Education Act. This is a big relief for nearly 16,000 madrasas in Uttar Pradesh. The Act, which regulates the educational standards and administration of madrasas in the state, had been previously struck down by the Allahabad High Court.
The High Court had ruled that the 2004 Uttar Pradesh law allowing the government to oversee madrasas was unconstitutional. The court believed the law violated India’s secular principles by giving special treatment to religious schools. It argued that madrasa students should be moved into regular, secular schools to ensure equal, quality education for all.The high courts ruling had created a tough situation for around 17 lakh madrasa students.
Supreme Court has reversed the high court’s ruling
However now, the Supreme Court has reversed the high court’s ruling. The judges highlighted that regulating educational standards in madrasas does not interfere with their religious autonomy. Instead, the Act supports the state’s responsibility to ensure that all children receive an adequate education, no matter what type of school they attend. The bench was led by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra.
In its judgment, the Supreme Court clarified that while certain parts of the Act—particularly those related to higher education degrees such as “Kamil” and “Fazil” (equivalent to postgraduate and research degrees)—conflict with University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, however, the rest of the Act remains valid. The Court said that that only those sections specifically concerning higher education fall outside the state’s legislative authority. These provisions were found to be unconstitutional due to conflicts with the UGC Act, which is governed by central laws.
State has interest in ensuring education quality
Chief Justice Chandrachud said that just because the Act allows madrasas to provide religious training, it does not make it unconstitutional. He stressed on the fact that a law cannot be denied only because it mixes with religious instruction, if it also promotes educational standards. “The State has a legitimate interest in ensuring educational quality,” said the Chief Justice, emphasizing that this does not mean that secularism is being compromised on.
The ruling underlined that the Act aligns with the state’s obligation under Article 21A of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to education. Additionally, the judgment expressed the intentions of the Board implementing secular standards alongside religious teachings in madrasas, ensuring students receive both types of education.
Act legit as long as educational standards upheld
The Allahabad High Court’s previous decision had proposed integrating madrasa students into the formal school system, arguing that the State has no power to create education boards specifically for religious institutions. However, the Supreme Court disagreed, clarifying that such boards are permissible as long as they uphold educational standards and do not infringe on religious freedoms. The Court’s decision enables the state to monitor and improve educational standards while respecting the unique role of madrasas, providing assurance to the minority community and underscoring the balance between religious and secular education.