Schools on state land: JKBOSE violating court order by refusing to accept exam forms of students, says Tarigami

Srinagar, Dec 15: Senior CPI(M) leader and former MLA Kulgam, Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami on Friday said the refusal of the J&K Board of School Education to accept forms from students of private schools built on state land was a “blatant disregard” of the High Court order.

"The decision of JKBOSE about not accepting examination forms from schools erected on state land is flagrant disregard for High Court's stay order,” Tarigami wrote on X.

He said the decision is bound to put future of thousands of students on the line. “Appealing to @Office_JKBoSE to withdraw the order forthwith,” he said.

The future of thousands of students in Jammu and Kashmir is hanging in the balance as the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (BOSE) has refused to accept class 10th examination forms from students enrolled in private schools established on state land, Greater Kashmir reported today.

The predicament began after the J&K government in 2022 amended the rules under the Education Act 2002 to provide for fresh guidelines relating to use of land and building structures by private schools in UT of Jammu and Kashmir.

The amendments were made by the J&K Lieutenant Governor (LG) in the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Rules, 2010 in exercise of the powers conferred by section 29 of the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Act, 2002.

In wake of this, the J&K government ordered that all those private schools which are established on the state land should close the schooling of the enrolled children with immediate effect. The schools were asked to issue the school leaving certificates in favour of their respective students so that they will be accommodated in nearby Government schools “subject to the consent of their parents in this regard.”

However, the Private school proprietors collectively approached the judiciary and sought relief from the J&K High Court, securing a stay on the government’s order.
Despite this legal intervention, the refusal by JKBOSE to accept examination forms for class 10th students enrolled in these private schools has thrown the academic aspirations of thousands into jeopardy.