On 4th August (Tuesday), the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath chaired a cabinet meeting. During the meeting, discussions were held over amendments regarding higher degree provisions, Kamil and Fazil, under the Madarsa Education Board Act in line with Supreme Court directives.
A proposal to amend the Uttar Pradesh Madrasa Education Board Act, 2004, was presented before the cabinet. Ahead of the cabinet meeting, Minority Welfare Minister Om Prakash Rajbhar said, “Kamil and Fazil degrees previously awarded by madrasas will also be invalidated.”
Notably, Kamil is a three-year course in Arabic, Persian and Islamic studies. Awarded by the UP Madarsa Board, Kamil was previously treated as equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree (BA). Meanwhile, Fazil was a two-year advanced course undertaken after Kamil. Fazil degree granted by the state Madarsa Board was considered equivalent to a Master’s degree (MA).
Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to cancel Kamil, Fazil degree validation in line with Supreme Court ruling
The proposal to cancel or discontinue Kamil and Fazil degree was in accordance with the November 2024 Supreme Court order that upheld the constitutional validity of the Uttar Pradesh Madarsa Education Act 2004. The top court had struck down the Allahabad High Court ruling that dubbed the Uttar Pradesh Madarsa Education Act 2004 as “unconstitutional and violative of the principles of secularism.”
The apex court had held that Madarsas cannot award formal higher education qualifications, including Kamil and Fazil, since these fall outside the regulatory framework of the University Grants Commission (UGC).
“The Allahabad High Court erred in holding that the madarsa law had to be struck down for violating basic structure, which is the principle of secularism. The legislative scheme of the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act was to standardise the level of education being prescribed in madrasas,” the Supreme Court bench headed by then CJI DY Chandrachud had said.
In June 2026, the Uttar Pradesh Board withdrew the recognition of 465 self-financed schools automatically across the state.
