Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday announced that Sunday, instead of Friday, will be the weekly holiday for madrasas recognised as schools in the state, The Indian Express reported.
In many parts of the Islamic world, a madrasa is an institution that imparts education – secular or religious. In the Indian subcontinent, however, the word “madrasa” has evolved to refer solely to Islamic seminaries.
The weekly holiday in madrasas is typically on Friday, coinciding with the day that Muslims usually participate in congregational prayers.
The Uttarakhand government’s move to change the weekly holiday at the institutions reportedly comes amid a broader restructuring of minority education in the state. As part of this, the government in July abolished its statutory madrasa board and brought educational institutions run by all six notified minority communities under a single regulatory authority.
The Uttarakhand State Authority for Minority Education, created after the 2025 Uttarakhand Minority Education Act came into force on July 1, now regulates institutions run by Muslims, Christians, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains and Parsis.
On Wednesday, Dhami said that the new rules on weekly holidays aim to bring minority-run institutions under common academic and administrative standards.
“We have already introduced a Uniform Civil Code in the state,” Dhami was quoted as saying. “There should be a uniform system for everyone. All...