Maharashtra is set to tighten the process for granting minority status to educational institutions, with IAS supervision, expert scrutiny and periodic reviews proposed under a new SOP expected by August-end.Educational institutions seeking minority status in Maharashtra could soon face tighter scrutiny, with a government-appointed committee recommending that the approval process be supervised by a senior IAS officer, applications be vetted by a multi-department expert panel, and institutions be subjected to periodic review even after minority status is granted, The Indian Express has learned.The report, submitted by the high-level committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary B Venugopal Reddy, has highlighted the lacunae in the existing system, which lacks adequate checks, with applications currently processed by a dedicated desk usually headed by a non-IAS officer in the minority affairs department, and no mechanism to periodically review institutions after they receive minority status.The panel was constituted after the controversy earlier this year over the grant of minority status certificates to educational institutions. Its recommendations have since prompted the state government to set up another committee to draft a revised Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), which officials said is likely to be finalised by the end of this month.The proposed changes would alter the approval process at multiple stages. Instead of applications being processed entirely within the Minority Affairs Department, the committee has recommended that the process be supervised by a senior IAS officer, preferably the department secretary, and that applications be scrutinised by an expert committee comprising representatives from multiple government departments.The panel has also proposed introducing oversight after minority status is granted. At present, there is no mechanism to monitor institutions once they receive the status. The committee has recommended periodic supervision to assess whether institutions continue to satisfy the conditions under which minority status was granted. It has further proposed that the government periodically review whether concessions and benefits available to minority institutions are being availed in accordance with the law and are reaching their intended beneficiaries.The report was submitted to Chief Secretary Rajesh Aggarwal about a month ago. On July 15, the government constituted an implementation committee headed by Minority Affairs Secretary Madhavi Khode Chaware to prepare a framework for the recommendations and draft the revised SOP.The implementation committee comprises representatives from the Finance, General Administration, School Education, Higher and Technical Education, and Minority Affairs departments. It has already held two meetings and is in the final stages of preparing the revised SOP, officials said.Story continues below this ad“The committee is in the final stage of issuing new Standard Operating Procedure. The new SOP for granting Minority status is likely to be announced by the end of August,” a senior official familiar with the process told The Indian Express.When contacted, Reddy declined to comment, saying he had submitted the report to the government. Khode Chaware confirmed that the report had been received and that work on implementing its recommendations was underway.Also Read | Maharashtra minority status row: 20 trusts’ schools must now reserve 25% seats under RTE ActThe Reddy committee was constituted after a controversy erupted in February this year over the grant of minority status certificates to educational trusts running schools and colleges. Questions were raised after certificates for 19 of the 20 trusts were uploaded between January 29 and February 4, with a separate bulk upload attributed to technical issues on the MahaIT portal taking place between January 28 and 30, prompting allegations of irregularities. Following the controversy, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered that the approvals be kept in abeyance pending a review, while Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar directed a detailed inquiry into the approval process.The Minority Development Department, however, maintained that the approvals were not irregular. As first reported by The Indian Express, it told the Chief Secretary that most of the certificates that appeared to have been issued between January 28 and January 30 were uploaded only after technical issues with the MahaIT portal were resolved, and that hearings and approvals for 19 of the 20 trusts had already been completed between December 24, 2025, and January 27, 2026, when Ajit Pawar was still in office.Alok Deshpande is a Special Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized for his focused and authoritative reporting on governance, politics, and the socio-economic dynamics of Maharashtra's hinterlands. His unique academic background in Geology and early work in the water sector provides a specialized layer of Expertise to his reporting on resource and environmental issues. Expertise Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express, Mumbai. Core Authority: Alok provides detailed coverage of Maharashtra politics and governance, with a particular emphasis on how policies and power struggles affect the rural and semi-urban areas (the 'hinterlands'). Key Coverage Areas: His reports frequently focus on high-stakes administrative and political topics, including: State Assembly Proceedings: In-depth reporting on the Legislative Assembly, covering ministerial statements, legislative debates, and inter-party conflict within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. Policy & Finance: Coverage of state finances, including supplementary budget demands, fiscal deficits, and major government schemes (e.g., Jal Jeevan Mission, Ladki Bahin Yojana). Rural and Social Issues: Reports on critical health issues (e.g., child deaths in districts), human-animal conflict (leopard attacks, stray dogs), and agrarian concerns (e.g., farmer suicides). Local and Urban Governance: Covers major announcements regarding urban development (e.g., BMC's OC amnesty scheme, pagdi system push) and local body elections, including political defections and alliance splits. Unique Credentials & Trustworthiness Academic Specialization: Holds a Post-graduate degree in Geology. This background gives him a foundational understanding of natural resources, which directly informs his reporting on environment, water, and infrastructure projects. Early Professional Experience: His shift to journalism came after working with an NGO focused on the water sector. This practical experience strengthens his Expertise in critical areas like water management and rural development, as evidenced by his reporting on the Jal Jeevan Mission. Journalism Training: An alumnus of the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, confirming his formal training and commitment to rigorous journalistic standards. Alok Deshpande's rare combination of scientific education, non-profit sector experience, and deep political reporting makes him a highly trusted and authoritative voice on the governance and ground realities of Maharashtra. He tweets @alokdesh ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram