Srinagar : In response to significant public backlash and a complete shutdown in Shopian, the Jammu and Kashmir School Education Department has revised its earlier decision to relocate the Deputy Chief Education Officer (Dy CEO) office from the district headquarters to Chitragam.
The new order, issued on Friday, stipulates that the Dy CEO Shopian will now operate three days a week in both Shopian and Chitragam, while the Dy CEO Kulgam will also divide their time between Kulgam and D.H. Pora. This adjustment is described as being in the interest of administration and will remain in effect until further notice. The initial relocation, outlined in Government Order No. 510-JK (Edu) of 2025 dated July 7, sparked widespread discontent in Shopian, culminating in a complete shutdown on July 23, where markets were closed and public transport was halted for half a day. The protests were organized by the All Party District Development Forum Shopian, which includes various political parties, trade organizations, transporters, students, fruit growers, and civil society groups. Key political figures, such as MLA Shopian Advocate Shabir Ahmad Kullay and former MLA Aijaz Mir, led a significant march to the District Commissioner’s office, where they submitted a memorandum outlining their demands.
