Panel constituted to check all textbooks in Jammu and Kashmir educational institutes: PSAJK

SRINAGAR: The Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) Monday constituted a high-level committee to check all textbooks in the educational institutes across the union territory and asked private schools to refrain from introducing any new book before getting it approved from the expert committee.

The move comes after "blasphemous" content against Islam was carried in a class seven textbook by New Delhi-based “JAY CEE Publications Pvt Ltd”. The association held a meeting with all prominent publishers wherein everyone was advised to check every book before releasing it to the schools, its president G N Var said. It condemned the objectionable contents of the book published by the New Delhi-based publisher.

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The association constituted a seven-member autonomous Academic Committee headed by Khurshid Bismil which will have three members from Kashmir, two from Jammu and one each from Pir Panjal and Chenab valley to check the content and standard of books, Var said.

The Association announced that no new book will be introduced in any of its member private schools, before the same is approved by the expert committee. "The committee has been assigned to check all books and ensure that there is no objectionable matter in any book. Furthermore all schools and publishers have also been asked to check their books. We want to implement a multi-tier checking set-up for every book so that such unfortunate incident does not happen again in future,” Var said.

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The association hailed the government of taking prompt action in this incident. They welcomed the directions by ADC Srinagar Syed Hanif Balkhi for lodging of case and action taken by Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) and Director Education. "When it comes to books and written material, there should be no room for complacency. Every stakeholder should check every word before introducing and teaching the same to students,” the president PSAJK, said.

The association also appealed the JKBOSE to immediately convene a meeting of its Academic Committee. The meeting should be held both at Srinagar and Jammu at the earliest wherein a threadbare discussion should be held on the issue of books. The private schools being an important stakeholder should also be invited to the meeting, Var said.