Mehr Un-Nisa*
Education is a cornerstone of empowering individuals to recognise, claim and defend their rights. The World Conference on Human Rights emphasises the need to integrate human rights education into all areas of education to promote a culture of valuing human dignity and diversity.
However, in the context of Jammu and Kashmir, the basic human right to education is threatened by an ongoing conflict. In the past, schooling has been affected by regular curfews, closure of educational institutions and systematic disruptions. Now, the policies of the Kashmiri government are casting a long shadow over the future of the young generation and erecting formidable obstacles to the educational entitlements enshrined in both international and national legal frameworks.
The political turmoil in the region, especially after the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, has exacerbated the disruptions in the education system. The closure of certain educational institutions has left over 10,000 teachers in Kashmir unemployed. Even an elite St Joseph School in Baramulla district has not been spared and has been asked to close down. This has adversely affected the quality of education.
Of great concern is the National Council for Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) introducing revised textbooks for classes VI to X in Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh regions. This move is seen as an attempt to manipulate the presentation of history and diminish the contribution of Muslims in the region, reflecting the influence of Hindutva ideology on the content of education.
The omission of the reference that Kashmir’s accession to India is contingent on autonomy under Article 370 symbolises a deliberate change that is in line with the ethos of the current government in New Delhi. This revision, four years after the abrogation of Article 370 and Article 35-A – which granted nominal autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir – is aimed at reinforcing the narrative of a united India while marginalising the historical and political nuances.
The introduction of a new chapter on Article 370 in the textbooks of Jammu and Kashmir, with no reference to the subsequent persecutions, internet bans or arrests, is a historical revisionist narrative. This obfuscation of reality denies the life experience of Kashmiris, especially the struggles of students during this period. This revision whitewashes the harsh reality that the students faced during this period.
The penetration of Hindutva ideology in Kashmir has a much stronger impact than the occupation of schools, hospitals and other civilian spaces by the military.
There are reports of Kashmiri students being forced to recite Hindu hymns and prayers, violating their cultural and religious identity. Such incidents, including the intimidation of Muslim schoolgirls who refused to participate in Hindu prayers, underscore a broader agenda of cultural and religious imposition.
These actions are part of a broader pattern of cultural and religious imposition in which the Hindu nationalist ideology of Hindutva is forced upon the predominantly Muslim population of Kashmir.
Besides the lack of qualified teachers, financial constraints have also severely affected the educational infrastructure in the region. As a result, nearly 10,000 schools in Kashmir have no libraries, over 10,000 schools have no ramps and about 10,000 schools have no playgrounds. This lack not only affects the quality of education but also hampers the holistic development of students. This has led to the closure of over 3,000 adult education and non-formal education centres since 1990. Children born into this period of ongoing violence have only spent a limited amount of time in school and have been at home for long periods, making their education even more difficult.
In response to the chaos, many Kashmiri families are looking for educational alternatives outside the region, where they become victims of hate crimes. At many people Kashmiri students have been subjected to brutal attacks fuelled by extremist ideologies. These victims, for whom education is a beacon of hope, are caught in the maelstrom of violence and are not only facing disruption of education but are also being targeted for hate crimes.
To make matters worse, India’s ban on Kashmiri students studying in Pakistan is jeopardising the future of hundreds of them. Despite the turbulent educational landscape, the scholarships offered by Pakistan for over a decade have helped many needy students continue their education in a peaceful environment without the fear of being beaten up.
The students who had enrolled in medical and engineering institutions across Pakistan face the threat of having their degrees invalidated. This illogical and potentially disastrous move raises concerns about the impact on the educational and career prospects of those studying in Pakistan.
The educational malaise in Kashmir is symptomatic of a wider colonisation of education, where policy decisions are affecting the academic and career prospects of residents.
International advocacy and intervention are crucial to overcoming these challenges by bringing to light the adversities faced by Kashmiri students and standing up for their rights. Such efforts can put pressure on the government and other stakeholders to ensure Kashmiri students’ right to education in a peaceful environment.
*The writer is the Director of Research at the Kashmir Institute of International Relations.
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