“Private schools exist to provide education and can legitimately voice concerns about policies affecting their own institutions. However, their attempts to shape broader educational policies, budget allocations, and governance initiatives undermine the regulatory framework.”
Budget, as economists understand, revolves around business, trade, and economy. It is in this context that governments—both at the Centre and in States and Union Territories engage in pre-budget consultations with well-established stakeholders, including reputed economists, trading bodies, and retired bankers with expertise in finance, banking, and risk management. However, in an unusual deviation from standard practice, Jammu & Kashmir is witnessing an intervention by representative bodies of private schools in budget discussions, a role that is beyond their legitimate scope. Nowhere else in the country do private schools engage in pre-budget consultations or public debates on the financial roadmap of a region. However, in Jammu & Kashmir, the newly elected Government has permitted such interventions, despite private schools often violating the admission rules and fee structures set by the J&K Fee Fixation and Regulation Committee (J&K FFRC). This sets a bad precedent, allowing unwarranted interference in Governmental affairs by organizations that lack relevance in certain policy matters. The recent statement by the Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) on the J&K Budget 2025-26 is a glaring example of this trend. The leadership of private schools has extended a warm welcome to the budget presented by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, particularly applauding the establishment of a National Law University with an initial allocation of Rs 50 Crore. While acknowledging the significance of education in economic progress is commendable, private schools have no moral or professional standing to comment on higher education matters, such as the proposed law university, which falls outside their operational domain. Private schools exist to provide education and can legitimately voice concerns about policies affecting their own institutions. However, their attempts to shape broader educational policies, budget allocations, and governance initiatives undermine the regulatory framework.
“The core responsibility of private schools is the quality education but not intervention in policy matters that do not concern them. Private schools should refrain from engaging in public policy discussions beyond their mandate. The Government, in turn, must reinforce regulatory frameworks and prevent unnecessary interventions that could distort governance and policymaking. While PSAJK’s appreciation of the budget is understandable, it is crucial to maintain institutional boundaries and uphold the integrity of policymaking processes in Jammu & Kashmir.”
If this practice is not curtailed, it may encourage private educational bodies to act as quasi-political entities rather than academic institutions. It is imperative that the Education Minister and the Financial Commissioner Education in J&K hold private schools accountable for their overreach. Their focus should remain on improving compliance with existing regulations and addressing concerns specific to their institutions. The Government must discourage such political behaviour and reaffirm that private schools have no direct stake in policy decisions beyond their operational framework. Furthermore, while PSAJK highlighted the budget’s benefits—such as the increase in the education sector’s allocation to Rs 1,388.97 crore, the upgrading of 40 higher secondary schools into K-12 institutions, and the expansion of technical education opportunities—these should be addressed by appropriate academic and policy institutions rather than private school bodies. The PSAJK talks about contribution of private schools in employment and economic activity, but the very claim does not hold ground anywhere in Jammu & Kashmir as instead exploitation of teachers in private schools in the name of their salaries is yet to attract the intervention of the Government over the issue of a proper recruitment policy for private schools. The core responsibility of private schools is the quality education but not intervention in policy matters that do not concern them. Private schools should refrain from engaging in public policy discussions beyond their mandate. The Government, in turn, must reinforce regulatory frameworks and prevent unnecessary interventions that could distort governance and policymaking. While PSAJK’s appreciation of the budget is understandable, it is crucial to maintain institutional boundaries and uphold the integrity of policymaking processes in Jammu & Kashmir.
