Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Tuesday directed a comprehensive audit of educational institutions across Jammu and Kashmir following the withdrawing of books allegedly promoting separatism and suspension of eight Education Department officials.
LG Sinha chaired a high-level meeting with senior officers and reviewed the action taken regarding the circulation of books and literature containing anti-national and separatist content in educational institutions.
The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo; Additional Chief Secretary, Power Development Department, Ashwani Kumar- the Inquiry Officer to investigate the probe; Principal Secretary, Home Department, Chandraker Bharti; Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor, Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari; Additional Director, Intelligence Bureau, Pankaj Thakur; ADGP, CID, Nitish Kumar and Commissioner/Secretary School Education Department, Ram Niwas Sharma.
An official spokesman said officials briefed the Lieutenant Governor on the recovery of books allegedly glorifying separatism, emphasizing that those responsible for procuring, approving, or circulating the literature will face strict legal consequences.
Taking serious note of the matter, the Lieutenant Governor directed the concerned departments to put in place effective mechanism to ensure no procurement, distribution and availability of any publications including books, journals, magazines or any literature containing anti-national, separatist or objectionable content in the Universities, government and private colleges and schools, public and private libraries etc. This would include the heads of these institutions affirming within specified period against availability of any such material in their respective institutions, apart from conduct of comprehensive audit and inspection thereof.
The Lieutenant Governor also instructed the authorities to examine the websites and digital repositories of universities and higher educational institutions and immediately remove any objectionable material, if any.
Emphasising that such incidents must not recur, the Lieutenant Governor directed the formulation of a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SoP) governing the procurement of books and academic material for schools, colleges and universities.
The SoP should provide for a robust screening mechanism, including periodic random scrutiny by a panel comprising eminent educationists, intellectuals and senior officers, to ensure that no material promoting anti-national or separatist narratives enters educational institutions.
The Lieutenant Governor warned that any lapse would invite strict accountability, and the Head of the Institution concerned would be held personally responsible for the same.
Reiterating the administration’s commitment to safeguarding the educational ecosystem, the Lieutenant Governor said educational institutions must remain centres of learning, nation-building and constitutional values, and there will be zero tolerance for any attempt to mislead or radicalise students through objectionable literature.
Last Saturday, Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha suspended eight officials of the School Education Department and ordered an inquiry into two controversial books
