Aqzar Raheel

Srinagar: In a major policy initiative aimed at ensuring educational material conforms to legal and academic standards, the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has ordered a comprehensive review of all books available in government and recognised private schools, besides coaching centres, across the Kashmir Division.
The directions were issued through Circular No. 02-DSEK of 2026 dated July 6, directing all Heads of Institutions (HOIs) to undertake a thorough screening of books kept in classrooms, libraries, staff rooms and offices, irrespective of whether they are recently procured or older publications.
According to the circular, the review is intended to ensure that no educational material contains objectionable or inappropriate content. The screening will cover books that may violate religious sentiments of any community, contravene prevailing laws, undermine national interest, adversely affect educational values or established norms, or fail to comply with the age-appropriate guidelines laid down under the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020.
The Directorate has instructed institutions to prepare a detailed report in case any objectionable material is identified. The report must include the title of the book, year of publication, name of the author and publisher, and the number of copies available. Besides the screening exercise, every institution has been directed to submit a compliance certificate certifying that all books available on the premises have been thoroughly reviewed, that no objectionable material is present to the best of the institution’s knowledge, and that library collections conform to the vision and objectives of NEP-2020 and other relevant laws.
The circular fixes strict timelines for completion of the exercise. Institutions have been asked to submit their reports and certificates to the concerned Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs), who will scrutinise and consolidate the reports before forwarding them to the respective Chief Education Officers (CEOs) by July 15. The CEOs have been directed to personally monitor the implementation of the exercise and submit authenticated compliance reports to the Directorate by July 17. To oversee the process, the Directorate has constituted a committee comprising the Joint Directors (Central, North and South), Additional Secretary (Law), and Officer on Special Duty (Curriculum Wing), DSEK.
The committee will compile reports received from all districts and submit a consolidated report to the Director, School Education Kashmir, by July 19. The Directorate has made it clear that any lapse in implementing the directions will be viewed seriously and may invite disciplinary action against the defaulting officers under the applicable rules.
The order applies to all government schools, recognised private schools and recognised coaching centres functioning under the jurisdiction of the Directorate of School Education Kashmir, marking one of the most extensive verification exercises undertaken by the department in recent years.

Srinagar : The government Thursday said that it will consider announcing summer vacations for schools of Kashmir division in the month of July.
Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister Sakina Itoo said, “As of now we have no plans of announcing summer vacations, weather is good for now. The government will think about it in the month of July.”
Itoo also said that the Jammu and Kashmir government interacted with the Education Minister of Himachal Pradesh. “The education minister of Himachal Pradesh is here in J&K and we shared insights of the school and higher education system of Jammu and Kashmir.”
“We discussed reforms and improvements in the education sector of Jammu and Kashmir be it the results of Board of School Education, syllabi of higher education, introduction of tourism subject and the surge in student enrolment,” Itoo said.
The minister further said, “We also discussed the infrastructure, teacher training, transfer policy and distribution of free textbooks and uniforms among the students under RTE act. “
“Most importantly, we discussed the Private University Bill that recently got passed in the Legislative Assembly,” she said.
Itoo further said, “The education minister also discussed improvements and new initiatives of the education sector of Himachal Pradesh and wherever possible we will try to adopt them in Jammu and Kashmir and the Himachal government is also mulling the same.”
In the meantime, Education Minister of Himachal Pradesh Rohit Thakur said, “I visited several schools of Jammu and Kashmir and I see a good transformation.”
“Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh being the hilly terrain regions are adopting best practices for the betterment of the education sector,” he said.
Both the ministers focused on the exchange of ideas, best practices and innovative reforms aimed at further strengthening the education sectors of both regions.
In the meantime, the government in a statement said that “Rohit briefed the gathering about various reforms undertaken by the state government to strengthen school education, improve academic standards and expand access to quality learning opportunities across rural and mountainous regions.”
The Minister highlighted Himachal Pradesh’s achievements in literacy, community participation in education and efforts towards improving educational outcomes through innovative teaching practices

Srinagar : Higher Education Department, J&K, has notified the conduct of the Spot Round for Undergraduate/Integrated PG admissions in Government Degree Colleges of J&K for the Academic Session 2026–27, for filling up the vacant seats remaining after completion of Round-2 admission formalities.
The Spot Round shall be conducted through two parallel streams. Programmes having substantial vacant seats have been placed under the Walk-in Admissions category, where eligible aspirants shall report directly to the concerned colleges for admission. Other programmes shall be filled through Round-3 / Direct System Allotment on the Centralised Admission Portal, https://jkadmissions.in, strictly on the basis of 10+2 merit, preferences submitted by candidates, eligibility, and availability of vacant seats.
As per the notified schedule, fresh registration on the admission portal for candidates who had not registered earlier, along with submission of fresh college/programme preferences for Round-3 programmes, shall remain open from 23-06-2026 to 26-06-2026. This preference submission window is open to all eligible candidates, including fresh aspirants, candidates seeking walk-in admission, and candidates already admitted in earlier rounds who wish to seek upgradation to another college or programme.
Walk-in admissions and document verification at colleges shall be held from 25-06-2026 to 02-07-2026, subject to availability of vacant seats. Candidates seeking walk-in admission must be registered on the Centralised Admission Portal before reporting to the concerned college. Admission fee for such admissions shall be deposited online through the portal only.
Furthermore, Candidates allotted seats in the Round-3/ Direct System Allotment List, that shall be published on the Centralised Admission Portal on 29-06-2026, shall deposit the prescribed admission fee online on or before 01-07-2026 and shall report to the allotted college for physical verification of original documents from 29-06-2026 to 02-07-2026.
The department has informed that candidates who have not secured admission in any previous round, candidates who were allotted seats earlier but did not complete admission formalities, candidates already admitted but seeking a different college or programme, and candidates whose applications were rejected during verification due to correctable issues may participate in the Spot Round, subject to fulfilment of eligibility conditions. However, candidates who voluntarily cancelled their confirmed admission shall not be eligible to participate.
Fresh applicants shall submit their application online on https://jkadmissions.in and pay the prescribed non-refundable application fee of ₹200. Candidates who had already applied earlier are not required to submit a fresh application or pay any additional application fee. All candidates are advised to carefully verify their mobile number and email address on the portal to ensure timely receipt of admission-related communications.
Higher Education Department has also advised aspirants to visit the counselling and facilitation centres established at Degree Colleges for assistance in form submission and preference filling. Candidates may also explore course offerings and subject combinations available in different colleges through the Directorate of Colleges website https://directorcollegesjk.in under the Courses/Colleges section.
Director Colleges J&K, Dr. Sheikh Ajaz Bashir, appealed to all eligible aspirants to utilise the Spot Round opportunity and complete all admission formalities strictly within the notified timelines. He further advised candidates to regularly check the JK Admissions Portal and follow the official WhatsApp Channel for Admissions 2026–27, linked on the portal, for updates, notices, allotment lists, and schedules.
The allotment of Minor, SEC, MD and other course components shall be done after commencement of classwork as per the notified circular.
Likewise, shutdown of 33 KV Badampora-SafaporaTapline will be observed due to which power supply to Safapora, Gratbal, Jarkobagh, Manasbal and adjoining areas will be affected from 08 AM to 02 PM on 24 June 2026.

Srinagar : School Education Department (SED) on Friday ordered suspension of classwork on Saturday in 60 higher secondaries designated as NEET examination centres in Kashmir division.
Director of School Education (DSEK) in an order said, “In view of upcoming NEET examination scheduled on 21-06-2026 (Sunday), the classwork in schools designated as centres for NEET Examination shall remain suspended on 20-06-2026 (Saturday).”
The directorate warns that any deviation of the order shall invite strict action under law against the defaulter institute.
Meanwhile, the directorate ordered closure of all private coaching centres on Sunday.
DSEK in a separate order said, “In view of the upcoming NEET examination scheduled on 21-06-2026 (Sunday) all the coaching centres of Kashmir Division shall remain closed on 21-06-2026 (Sunday).”
The directorate said that the orders have been issued with the approval of competent authority

Srinagar : The Counseling Cell, in partnership with the Cultural Club at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar, successfully conducted two online Faculty Upgradation Programmes aimed at enhancing faculty skills in student mentoring, counseling, mental health, emotional well-being, and emotional intelligence.
The inaugural session was led by Prof. RoohieNaaz Mir, who commended the coordinators for their timely initiative. Prof. Binod Kumar Kanaujia, the Director of NIT Srinagar, underscored the necessity of such faculty development programs in fostering a comprehensive academic environment, highlighting the importance of equipping faculty with both technical and emotional support skills. The workshops, coordinated by Dr. Neeraj Gupta, Dr. Vijay Kumar, Dr. Dinesh Kr. Rajendran, and Aamir Bashir, focused on addressing the psychological and emotional challenges faced by students. The first workshop, titled “Student Mentoring Skills Workshop / Student Mentoring & Counselling,” featured Wasim Rashid Kakroo, a clinical psychologist, who discussed prevalent mental health issues among university students, including anxiety, depression, and academic pressure. Faculty members were trained to recognize early signs of emotional distress and behavioral changes in students. The second workshop, “Mental Well-Being & Emotional Intelligence for Faculty / Mental Health & Well-Being,” included Dr. Devendra Singh Basera, a neuro-psychiatrist, who emphasized the critical role of emotional intelligence (EI) in academia. He argued that academic success is insufficient without effective teaching and leadership skills, which are enhanced by EI. Dr. Basera provided insights into how emotional intelligence contributes to better communication, resilience, and conflict resolution, while also addressing real-world academic challenges faced by faculty. He shared strategies for fostering empathy and psychological safety within educational settings, reinforcing the idea that emotional intelligence is essential for creating supportive academic environments.

New Delhi, Srinagar :In a major step aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026 re-examination, the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday welcomed the Government of India’s decision to impose temporary restrictions on the Telegram messaging platform.
The actioncomes ahead of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination scheduled for June 21 and follows recommendations made by the NTA and the Department of Higher Education to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
An official statement stated that the access to Telegram in India has been restricted for a limited period ending June 22, covering the examination day and the immediate post-examination period. In addition, Telegram has been directed to disable its message-editing feature in India until June 30.
The NTA stated that the measures were taken in the interest of public order and to prevent the spread of fraudulent claims related to examination paper leaks.
The agency said that over the past several weeks, numerous Telegram channels and groups had been openly advertising purported access to NEET examination papers and demanding money from students and their families.
These channels, operating under names such as “Paper Leaked NEET,” “Re-NEET 2026,” “Private Mafia,” and similar titles, allegedly charged candidates amounts ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakh rupees by falsely promising access to confidential examination material.
Reiterating its position, the NTA emphasized that no examination paper exists outside the secure examination chain and that every such claim is fraudulent.
“The promise of obtaining the question paper before the examination is a scam intended to exploit anxious candidates and their families,” the agency stated.
The NTA highlighted another concern involving Telegram’s message-editing capability.
According to the agency, channel administrators were able to modify previously posted messages, including replacing attached PDF files, while retaining the original timestamp. Authorities alleged that this feature had been exploited in several examinations to create fabricated evidence of paper leaks.
Investigators found instances where administrators allegedly inserted actual question papers into older messages after examinations had concluded and then circulated screenshots showing earlier timestamps to falsely suggest that the papers had been leaked beforehand.
Officials said the temporary suspension of the editing feature would help prevent such manipulation during the sensitive post-examination period.
The NTA credited the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), operating under the Ministry of Home Affairs, for spearheading the operational response against online examination fraud.
Acting on intelligence inputs from the NTA, state police agencies, and its own cyber monitoring mechanisms, I4C coordinated the takedown of numerous Telegram channels, groups, and automated bots that were allegedly engaged in spreading misinformation and running examination-related scams.
The agency described the collaboration between I4C, MeitY, and various state law enforcement agencies as the backbone of efforts to contain the activities of cheating networks ahead of the examination.
The statement also referred to several enforcement actions undertaken by state police agencies.
The Bihar Police Economic Offences Unit had earlier issued a public advisory warning candidates against fraudulent paper leak claims being circulated online.
Meanwhile, the Cyber Crime Branch of Ahmedabad Police reportedly arrested members of an inter-state cyber fraud network that was allegedly operating eight Telegram channels connected to examination scams. Investigators found financial transactions amounting to nearly ₹1.5 crore routed through fraudulent bank accounts and discovered that approximately 1,000 mobile numbers had been targeted within a month.
Authorities said investigations into similar activities are underway in several other states.
Acknowledging the inconvenience caused to millions of legitimate Telegram users across the country, the NTA said the platform restriction is temporary and limited to the examination window.
Officials clarified that while access to the platform will remain restricted only until June 22, the message-editing restriction until June 30 will not affect users’ ability to send or receive new messages.
The agency stressed that the measures were adopted only after intermediate remedies, including channel-specific takedowns, failed to adequately address the problem.
The NTA reassured candidates and parents that the security of the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination remains intact and that the examination will be conducted as scheduled on June 21.
The agency urged students to focus on their preparation and avoid falling prey to misinformation circulating on social media platforms.
Candidates have been advised to rely solely on official updates available through the NEET website and verified NTA communication channels.
The NTA also appealed to the public to report any suspicious offers, paper leak claims, or fraudulent solicitations through the National Cyber Crime Helpline (1930) or the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.
The agency expressed gratitude to MeitY, the Ministry of Home Affairs, I4C, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and police forces across several states for their coordinated efforts in protecting the credibility of one of India’s largest and most competitive entrance examinations.
According to the NTA, the combined action of these agencies has played a crucial role in safeguarding the interests of lakhs of students appearing for the re-examination and maintaining public confidence in the examination process

As per the notification, aspirants who have been allotted seats in Round-1 can now submit the prescribed admission fee up to June 08, 2026, till 5:00 PM.

Aspirants who confirm their allotment shall thereafter report to their allotted colleges for physical verification of original documents from 08-06-2026 to 10-06-2026.

Applicants are advised to regularly check the JK Admissions Portal (https://jkadmissions.in) and follow the official WhatsApp Channel for Admissions 2026–27, linked on the portal, for regular updates.

The Directorate further clarified that all other terms and conditions shall remain unchanged.