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Mumbai: The ministry for minority affairs released the Haj policy for the 2025 pilgrimage, corresponding to the 1446 Hijri Islamic year, on Monday. The pilgrimage will happen during May-June 2025 and registrations are expected to start in September 2024.
The 31-point policy said that 70% of the quota allocated to India by Saudi Arabia will be distributed through the government's Haj Committee of India (HCoI) and the rest through registered private Haj operators. The quota will be announced later during the year.
Haj is one of the five pillars of Islam. The 2024 pilgrimage like this year's Haj that ended on June 19, next year's pilgrimage will also be held in peak summer. This year, extreme day temperatures that touched 51.8; degree Celsius, caused around 1300 casualties, including nearly 100 Indians.
However, the 2025 Haj will be the last one to be held during the height of summer before the pilgrimage moves to cooler months for the next 17 years. This is because the Hijri year has 354 or 355 days.
Pilgrims will be selected through a Qurrah or draw of lots, with first preference for pilgrims aged 65 and above. Women above 45 years can travel without a Mehram or companion in groups of four or above. Repeaters will not be allowed to travel through the HCoI quota except under some exceptions.
As in the past, there will be a special category of pilgrims called 'Khadim-ul-Hujjaj' or government employees selected to assist the Consulate General of India in Saudi Arabia in managing the pilgrimage.
Considering the harsh and strenuous conditions during the pilgrimage, those aged 65 and above will not be allowed to travel alone. Medical requirements include health certificates and proof of vaccination for polio and meningitis.
The policy has declared that pilgrims will not be allowed to file complaints under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, for any deficiency in service or 'acts of commission/omission' by the HCoI as it is a 'no profit-no loss' organisation not covered by the law.
Pilgrims have also been advised to use the 'Haj Suvidha' mobile application launched before the 2024 Haj for assistance in travel, accommodation, emergencies, and language translation.
