New JKBOSE Chairperson: Search Committee shortlists candidates for interaction

Srinagar, Feb 17: The Search Committee constituted by the Jammu and Kashmir government to recommend the panel names for the appointment of Chairman JK Board of School Education (BOSE) and the Director Jammu and Kashmir State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) on Monday shortlisted the names of the candidates for interaction.

The Search Committee held its first meeting on Monday to process the appointment of Chairman JKBOSE and Director SCERT.

An official said that during its meeting, the Search Committee has shortlisted around 17 candidates who will be called for the interaction on February 27 of 2025.

The meeting was convened as the one month extension period of incumbent chairman JKBOSE Parikshat Singh Manhas will expire on February 25 of this year.

As already reported by this newspaper, the J&K Government in December last year reconstituted a search committee for recommending the panel of the candidates for the appointment as Chairman JKBOSE and the Director J&K SCERT

As per the government order, the committee is headed by Administrative Secretary Agricultural Production Department as its chairman while the Administrative Secretary of School Education Department (SED), GAD and Higher Education Department (HED) will be the members of the committee.

The other two members of the search committee are Vice Chancellor University of Kashmir (KU) and Vice Chancellor University of Jammu (JU).

A top official said that around 28 applications have been received by the Search Committee for the two posts-Chairman JKBOSE and Director JKSCERT.

"Out of 28 candidates, 23 candidates have applied for both the positions while five candidates have applied for the post of Chairman JKBOSE only," the official told Greater Kashmir.  The official said that given the prevailing situation in JKBOSE, the Search Committee is expected to expedite the process. As already reported, the two-year term of incumbent Chairman JKBOSE expired on January 25 of 2025. He was appointed as the Chairman JKBOSE on January 25 of 2023 on a deputation basis for a period of two years. As per the order, his appointment came into effect "from the date of the issuance of the notification of his appointment."

Earlier, Manhas demitted his office on January 25 of 2025. Later, the government on February 5 of 2025 extended his term for one month.

The order in this regard was issued by the Financial Commissioner School Education Department (SED) Shantmanu.

The official however said that the government has made it clear and instructed the School Education Department (SED) to complete the selection process for the appointment of Chairman JKBOSE till the extension period expires. He said the government while processing the extension of the incumbent has mentioned in the official file that the selection process for the appointment of new chairman JKBOSE be completed well in time. "The department shall ensure that the Search Committee shall furnish the recommendations well before the period of the extension is over," reads the official document.