In a significant administrative move, a contingent of officials and police personnel on Saturday completed the process of a “temporary takeover” of 215 schools across Jammu and Kashmir. The schools were
affiliated with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and its educational wing, the Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT).
The government’s action follows a late Friday order issued by the school education department, which stated that intelligence agencies had found these schools to be directly or indirectly linked with the proscribed organisations. The order also noted that the managing committees of these educational institutions had either expired or were “adversely reported upon” by security agencies.
Officials say the move is aimed at “safeguarding the academic future” of the thousands of students enrolled in these schools, ensuring their education is not jeopardised due to their management’s affiliations with a banned entity.
The process of taking over management was conducted with police teams accompanying district officials and principals of nearby government schools to the targeted institutions. According to officials, the handover was completed “peacefully and smoothly”, with an assurance that students and teachers would not be displaced. The new management, led by district magistrates and government school principals, is tasked with ensuring quality education as per the National Education Policy (NEP) norms.
The decision has, however, triggered a political controversy. Opposition parties, including the Peoples Conference and the PDP, criticised the elected government for implementing the order, with some calling it “unfortunate” and “undemocratic”. Jammu and Kashmir education minister Sakina Itoo clarified that her approval was only for a temporary arrangement and not a permanent takeover by district commissioners, a detail she claims was “tweaked” in the final order without her knowledge. Despite the political friction, the government has maintained that the action is a necessary step to curb radical influence and secure the future of the students.
