J&K Government Establishes Strict Framework to Audit and Review Educational Books and Academic Material
SRINAGAR, July 10, 2026 — Responding to recent concerns regarding the procurement and availability of educational literature in institutional libraries, the School Education Department and Higher Education Department of Jammu and Kashmir have issued comprehensive directives. In pursuance of government orders, the departments have institutionalized a structured framework for the academic evaluation, content verification, and periodic review of books and other academic resources across all schools, colleges, and universities within the Union Territory.
The primary objective of this new framework is to strengthen the institutional mechanisms governing how educational material is evaluated, recommended, circulated, and retained. The government aims to ensure that all accessible academic resources maintain established pedagogical relevance, factual authenticity, and educational value. Furthermore, all materials must align strictly with the Constitution of India, the National Education Policy (NEP), existing legal frameworks, and the curricular standards set by competent authorities.
Under these newly implemented guidelines, all government and recognized private educational institutions, alongside public libraries, must conduct an exhaustive Academic and Content Audit of their entire inventory. This comprehensive review covers books, reference materials, journals, research publications, dissertations, and digital repositories, regardless of their original year of procurement or inclusion. The circular explicitly prohibits the procurement, recommendation, circulation, or retention of any material containing factually inaccurate, misleading, distorted, inflammatory, or unlawful content. This strictly includes any literature that directly or indirectly glorifies, legitimizes, or promotes terrorism, violent extremism, secessionism, radicalization, or actions prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India.
To guarantee seamless execution, the government has established multi-tier scrutiny committees at the institutional, district, directorate, university, and administrative department levels. While respecting the statutory and academic autonomy of universities under University Grants Commission (UGC) regulations, these bodies will provide rigorous institutional oversight. Vice Chancellors, college principals, chief and zonal education officers, and school managements have been assigned explicit responsibilities to enforce these rules within strict timelines. Institutional heads will be held directly accountable for compliance, with the government warning that any negligence or deviation from the protocol will be met with utmost seriousness to preserve the integrity of the region’s educational ecosystem.