Supreme Court Upholds UP Madarsa Education Act, ‘Allahabad High Court Erred’

New Delhi – In a major relief to around 17 lakh madarsa students in Uttar Pradesh, the Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld the constitutional validity of the Uttar Pradesh Madarsa Education Act, 2004.

The ruling overturned the Allahabad High Court’s March 22 judgment, which had deemed the Act unconstitutional, asserting it conflicted with secular principles.

A bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, delivered the verdict, dismissing the High Court’s mandate to integrate madarsa students into the formal school system.

The Supreme Court clarified that the Act’s purpose is to standardize educational standards in madarsas while respecting minority rights.

Key Points of the Verdict

The Supreme Court addressed multiple aspects of the High Court’s earlier decision:

1. Validity of Madarsa Education Act: The court upheld the Act, noting that legislative competence supports the state’s authority to regulate madarsa education. The bench stated that the Act’s framework does not infringe on the “basic structure” principle of secularism.
2. Secularism and Religious Education: The Supreme Court emphasized a balanced view of secularism, which allows religious diversity in education. “Secularism means to live and let live,” observed the bench, adding that religious instruction in madarsas does not violate constitutional principles.
3. Degree Recognition Limitation: While validating most of the Act, the court ruled that the Board could not recognize ‘fazil’ and ‘kamil’ degrees beyond the 12th standard, as these degrees conflict with the University Grants Commission (UGC) Act.
4. Regulation Without Interference: The Supreme Court clarified that the Act respects the day-to-day operations of madarsas, focusing only on standardizing education and protecting students’ rights to fair livelihood opportunities.

Impact and Significance

The ruling enables 23,500 madarsas in Uttar Pradesh—of which 16,513 are registered with the state—to continue operating under government-regulated education standards.

It also reinforces the rights of minority institutions while underscoring a progressive interpretation of secularism in Indian education.

Legal Proceedings

The Supreme Court’s judgment followed extensive hearings, which included submissions from eight petitioners and the Uttar Pradesh government. The case saw a temporary stay order in April, and the judgment was reserved on October 22 before Tuesday’s verdict.

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