J&K suspends 8 officials over books allegedly glorifying separatists
Synopsis
The J&K government suspended eight school education officials and blacklisted two authors and their publishers after books allegedly glorifying separatists and terrorists were found in district schools. With 251 copies already distributed across five districts and a 30-day inquiry ordered, this is one of the sharpest accountability actions in the UT's education sector in recent memory.
Key Takeaways
The Jammu and Kashmir government suspended 8 School Education Department officials on 4 July for approving books allegedly glorifying separatists.
123 copies of one book reached Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur ; 128 copies of the second reached Jammu and Baramulla .
The authors — Hilal Ahmad, Santosh Meena and Dr Sushant Giri — and their publishers have been banned and blacklisted across the UT.
Ashwani Kumar , IAS, has been appointed Inquiry Officer with a 30-day deadline to submit a report.
Contractual staffer Sheikh Suheel Ahmad was disengaged with immediate effect alongside the suspensions.
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday, 4 July suspended eight school education officials and ordered a departmental inquiry against them for allegedly approving two books that reportedly contain content glorifying separatists and terrorists. The swift action followed an earlier government directive to withdraw the controversial titles from schools across the Union Territory.
The Books at the Centre of the Controversy
The two publications flagged by authorities are: Personalities and Legends of J&K, authored by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena and published by Oberoi Book Service, Jammu; and Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir, authored by Dr Sushant Giri and published by Anurag Prakashan, Delhi. According to the government order, 123 copies of the first title were supplied to Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, while 128 copies of the second were distributed to Jammu and Baramulla districts.
What the Government Order Says
The suspension order cited 'serious negligence, dereliction of duty and lack of proper due diligence' by members of the Sub-Committee Series 4 and supervisory officers who recommended the books. The order stated that the content 'related to separatism has the potential for creating law and order situations.' The suspended officials will remain attached to the School Education Department during the inquiry period.
Officials Suspended
The eight officials placed under suspension are: Fazil Imran Saddiqui, Coordinator, Library, Samagra Shiksha; Gurjeet Singh, Assistant Coordinator, Samagra Shiksha; Sanjeev Sharma, Principal, GHSS Kore Pannu, Kathua; Shazia Kouser, Academic Officer, SCERT, Jammu; Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir, Lecturer, BHSS, Budgam; Niranjan Sharma, Lecturer, GHSS Badhat, Kishtwar, DIET, Jammu; Renu Mengi, Lecturer; and Rajmohini, Lecturer, GGHSS, Poonch. Additionally, Sheikh Suheel Ahmad, a contractual Computer Assistant, has been disengaged with immediate effect.
Inquiry Framework and Blacklisting
Ashwani Kumar, IAS, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Power Development Department, has been appointed as the Inquiry Officer, with a mandate to submit a report to the competent authority within 30 days. Rohit Sharma, JKAS, Additional Secretary, General Administration Department, has been named the Presenting Officer. Notably, the government has also banned and blacklisted the authors and publishers concerned, ordering that any printed material authored or published by them be withdrawn from the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Broader Context
This action comes amid heightened scrutiny of educational content in Jammu and Kashmir following the region's reorganisation as a Union Territory in 2019. Authorities have in recent years periodically reviewed school curricula and supplementary materials for content deemed inconsistent with national integration. The speed of the suspension — within days of the withdrawal order — signals the administration's intent to treat the episode as a serious institutional failure rather than a procedural lapse. The inquiry report is expected within 30 days, after which further disciplinary action against the officials may follow.
Point of View
Signalling that the J&K administration is treating this as an institutional failure, not an isolated clerical error. Yet the deeper question is systemic: how did two books with content allegedly linked to separatism clear a multi-member sub-committee and reach district schools without a single red flag? The 30-day inquiry must answer that, not just name scapegoats. Blacklisting authors and publishers is a blunt instrument; if applied without due process, it risks conflating editorial misjudgement with deliberate subversion — a distinction that matters for academic freedom in a region already under intense scrutiny.
NationPress
4 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the J&K government suspend eight school officials?
The J&K government suspended eight School Education Department officials on 4 July for allegedly approving two books that reportedly contain content glorifying separatists and terrorists. The government cited serious negligence and dereliction of duty by the Sub-Committee Series 4, which recommended the books for school supply.
Which books were at the centre of the J&K controversy?
'Personalities and Legends of J&K' by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena, published by Oberoi Book Service, Jammu, and 'Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir' by Dr Sushant Giri, published by Anurag Prakashan, Delhi. Both titles have been withdrawn from schools and their authors and publishers have been banned across the Union Territory.
How many books were distributed and to which districts?
According to the government order, 123 copies of the first book were supplied to Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, while 128 copies of the second were distributed to Jammu and Baramulla districts — a total of 251 copies across five districts.
Who is conducting the inquiry and what is the timeline?
Ashwani Kumar, IAS, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Power Development Department, has been appointed Inquiry Officer. He is required to submit his report to the competent authority within 30 days. Rohit Sharma, JKAS, Additional Secretary, General Administration Department, is the Presenting Officer.
What action has been taken against the authors and publishers?
The J&K government has banned and blacklisted the authors and publishers involved, ordering that any printed material authored or published by them be withdrawn from the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This applies to all future publications as well.
