JKBOSE 2024 Exam: 180 Private Schools Tagged with Nearby Government Schools
JKBOSE 2024 Exam: 180 Private Schools Tagged with Nearby Government Schools
In a recent development, the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) has taken a significant step affecting the academic landscape in the Kashmir division.
Approximately 180 private academic institutions operating on proprietary land now face an affiliation crisis, as their affiliations have been deemed expired by the board.
According to the official directive issued by JKBOSE, these schools failed to furnish their extension case files, leading to the decision to tag the students enrolled in these institutions with nearby government schools.
This move aims to safeguard the academic careers of these students, ensuring timely completion of pre-examination activities for classes 10th to 12th annual board examinations.
The order, issued by Deputy Secretary JKBOSE, cites the expiration of affiliations for these private academic institutions in October 2021 and 2022, coupled with the failure of management to submit the necessary case files for further extension.
As a result, on-roll students of classes 10th, 11th, and 12th are now being tagged with nearby government high and higher secondary schools, as well as cluster head schools in Kashmir division.
This isn’t the first instance of such action by JKBOSE, as it previously announced tagging students of private schools established on proprietary land with expired affiliations.
The concerned principals and cluster heads are now tasked with securing necessary discharge certificates for the affected students and submitting permission-cum-admission (PCA) forms, along with renewal registration returns, as per the directives issued by the Director Academics JKBOSE.
Furthermore, the affected private schools are required to remit a tagging fee equivalent to the periodical inspection fee for the current academic session 2023-2024.
The order also admonishes defaulter schools from enrolling any students in classes 9th to 12th from the next academic session 2024-2025 without securing formal affiliation and recognition from JKBOSE and the School Education Department.
In addition to tagging students, the government has also withheld the registration renewal of class 10th to 12th students scheduled to appear in upcoming board exams, due to non-renewal of land lease agreements. Notably, Saint Joseph’s Higher Secondary School Baramulla, one of the oldest missionary schools in Kashmir, is among the affected institutions.
The school management has informed parents that despite timely application for lease renewal, the file remains pending since April 2022 in the office of the divisional commissioner Kashmir. Despite appeals to relevant authorities, including the Principal Secretary Revenue and Principal Secretary of School Education, no concrete action has been taken to address the situation.
The Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) has expressed deep concern and disappointment regarding the closure of Registration Return Forms (RRFs) by JKBOSE.
The denial of registration to students of Saint Joseph’s school Baramulla, a prestigious institution with a century-old legacy, has raised concerns within the education community in Kashmir.
Chairman PSAJK, Ghulam Nabi Var, highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating that if such an established institution can be targeted, it raises questions about the safety of other schools in the region.
The closure of RRFs and the subsequent actions by JKBOSE have sparked apprehension and uncertainty among stakeholders, urging swift resolution to mitigate the impact on students’ academic pursuits.
