Srinagar, Oct 15: In a significant development, the authorities at J&K Board of School Education (JKBOSE) have decided to start the free distribution of textbooks to all the education zones from first week of November, 2026.

In a exclusive conversation with Greater Kashmir, chairman JKBOSE Ghulam Hassan Sheikh said the timely distribution of textbooks is aimed at ensuring smooth start of the new academic session in schools.

He said the JKBOSE has printed the textbooks for both government and private schools as per the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) plus data.

UDISE is an educational management information system under the Department of School Education & Literacy, Ministry of Education under the Government of India.

It functions as a central platform that enables respective schools to efficiently record and submit data related to its profile (infrastructure & facilities), individual students and teachers’ details.

“We print the textbooks as per the data shown on UDISE with 10 percent increase and distribute textbooks for market supply and free distribution to government schools as well,” he added.

Currently, the summative assessment of junior classes students in all schools is going on and the new academic session is set to begin from November first week.

In view of this, timely availability of textbooks is mandatory.

Chairman JKBOSE further said that this year JKBOSE has revised the syllabus of textbooks of four classes which include class 1st, 2nd and 3rd primary besides the class 6th as well.

“We have done it as per the NEP-2020,” he added.

He said that students have only Mathematics, English, Urdu and Kashmiri subjects in 1st and 2nd primary as per NCF foundational stage.

“From 3rd primary onwards we prescribe textbook of environmental science to students which is combination of Social science and Science,” he added.

Chairman JKBOSE said that under NCF students in lower primary classes should not be given academic burden because that will “leave students disinterested in studies.”

He said the syllabus of other classes will be revised in near future and will be “hopefully” implemented in academic session 2027-2028.

About the timely availability of textbooks in government schools, Chairman JKBOSE said they distribute the textbooks to all the education zones as per the UDISE data.

“The further distribution of books to schools in zones is prerogative of the concerned zonal educational officers,” he said.

As already reported by this newspaper, JK Board of School Education (JKBOSE) has made it mandatory for the private schools to adopt its textbooks for the students from primary to higher classes.

The orders have been issued by JKBOSE using its powers vested under the Jammu And Kashmir Board of School Education Act 1975.

“Under the Act, JKBOSE holds the authority to prescribe courses of instruction, curricula, syllabi, and textbooks for various academic levels, including pre-primary, elementary, secondary, and higher secondary school examinations,” reads a circular issued by JKBOSE during previous years.

Ganderbal, Oct 15: A joint leadership delegation of the Jammu & Kashmir Employees Joint Action Committee (JKEJAC) and the Jammu & Kashmir Teachers Forum (JKTF), District Ganderbal, met the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah on the sidelines of his visit to Dr Farooq Abdullah Environmental Park at Manigam on Thursday and presented a comprehensive memorandum seeking his personal intervention in addressing pressing educational, healthcare, infrastructural, and employee-related issues affecting Sub-Division Kangan and District Ganderbal.

The memorandum underscored the urgent need of consideration of establishing additional PM SHRI Schools and Atal Tinkering Labs, creation of Master Grade posts in SSA middle schools, restoration of Master Grade posts shifted outside the district strengthening of primary education, hardship allowance for teachers serving in Zones IV and V, upgradation of Girls Middle School Arhama to High School, construction of auditoriums in prominent educational institutions, the delegation also sought implementation of Education Department Order No. 469, highlighting critical developmental priorities, the delegation pressed for lift irrigation from Lar Canal Head to Baba Canal via Haripora, establishment of a Degree College near Farooq Abdullah Park Manigam.

On healthcare, it called for night-duty doctors at PHC Hariganiwan, NTPHC Chattergul, MMC Waliwar and MMC Wayil, IV infusion facilities at NTPHC Chattergul, a sustainable job policy for NHM employees, filling of vacant paramedical posts; a Jan Aushadhi Kendra, comprehensive diagnostic facilities at SDH Kangan and reation of a Block Medical Officer post for Tehsil Gund besides many others

The leadership emphasised that these demands represent the legitimate aspirations of employees, teachers, students, patients, farmers and the general public, warranting a coordinated and time-bound response from the concerned authorities. It expressed hope that the Hon’ble Chief Minister would give due consideration to the memorandum and facilitate appropriate action in the larger public interest.

Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Shreya Singhal (IAS) Worthy Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, ADC Ganderbal Faheem Behaqi Sahib, SSP Ganderbal Shari Harshal Rajesh Mahajan (IPS), CEO Ganderbal Nazir Ahmad Khan Sahib, SDM Kangan Dr Nazir Ahmad Bhat Sahib and others.

Srinagar, Oct 15: In a latest development, the authorities at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-Kashmir) has ordered suspension of all academic activities at its Faculty of Forestry, excluding undergraduate first-year classes.

As per the order issued by Dean Faculty of Forestry, students from J&K and Ladakh staying at the Pine Boys and Girls hostels have been asked to vacate their hostel rooms by October 16, 2026 (10 am).

As per the order, the academic activities including classwork for undergraduate, MSc and PhD courses, have been suspended until further orders.

The suspension, however, does not apply to first-year undergraduate students.

The hostel wardens have been asked to ensure that both hostels are vacated within the stipulated time.

“Any violation shall invite serious consequences under the rules,” the order reads.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Dean Faculty of Forestry said the decision to suspend the academic activities and to vacate the hostels was taken as the students intensified their protests at the campus.

“For the past few days, the students were staging peaceful protest inside the campus and we did not counter them. But today they locked the gates and did not allow the faculty to use the rooms the students locked the administration block as well,” he told Greater Kashmir.

He said that earlier, varsity extended its support to the students but they resorted to other ways and means forcing the university administration to suspend the academic activities.

“We warned them that action will be taken against them if they resort to such action but they did not refrain. We thought to suspend the classes to avoid any action is taken on the students,” he added.

He further said the university has foreign and national students who have taken admission in the university to pursue their studies.

“They have nothing to do with the demand and protest of local students. Foreign and national students even complained that they want to attend the classes but are not allowed by the local students,” he added.

He said the varsity did counseling of the students but still did not call off their strike.

The Forestry students are protesting and demand exclusive eligibility for direct recruitment to Forester and other Forestry related exams for candidates holding dedicated professional degree in Forestry.