J&K suspends eight Education Dept officials over controversial library books; publishers. authors banned

Ziraat Times News Desk

Srinagar, July 4: The Jammu & Kashmir Government on Friday suspended eight officers and officials of the School Education Department with immediate effect over alleged negligence in the selection and procurement of controversial library books for government schools. The government has also ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter and blacklisted the authors and publishers of the two books found to contain “highly inappropriate content.”

According to Government Order No. 257-JK(Edu) of 2026, the action follows the withdrawal of two books—Personalities and Legends of J&K by Hilal Ahmad and Santosh Meena, published by Oberoi Book Service, Jammu, and Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir by Dr. Sushant Giri, published by Anurag Prakashan, Delhi—after they were found to contain objectionable material.

The order states that Samagra Shiksha had floated an Expression of Interest (EOI) for procurement of age-appropriate library books for 18,328 government schools and 394 PM SHRI schools. Four expert sub-committees had been constituted to evaluate 463 books submitted by 364 publishers.

The government said that 123 copies of one of the books had been supplied to schools in Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, while 128 copies of the second title had been distributed in Jammu and Baramulla districts before they were withdrawn.

Stating that the books contained content related to separatism with the potential to create law and order issues, the government held members of the Higher Secondary Series (Series-IV) selection committee and supervisory officers responsible for serious lapses, negligence and lack of due diligence during the evaluation process.

The suspended officials are:

• Fazil I, Coordinator Library;

• Gurjeet S, Assistant Coordinator;

• Sanjeev S, School Principal, Kathua;

• Ms Shazia, Academic Officer, SCERT Jammu;

• Imtiyaz A, Lecturer, Budgam;

• Niranjan S, Lecturer, Kishtwar;

• Ms Renu, Lecturer, Jammu; and

• Ms Rajmohini, Lecturer, Poonch.

The suspended officials will remain attached to the Administrative Department of the School Education Department during the suspension period.

The government has also terminated the contractual engagement of Sheikh Suheel Ahmad, Computer Assistant assisting the Coordinator Library, Samagra Shiksha, with immediate effect.

For the inquiry, Ashwani Kumar, IAS, Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary), Power Development Department, has been appointed as the Inquiry Officer, while Rohit Sharma, JKAS, Additional Secretary, General Administration Department, has been designated as the Presenting Officer. The Inquiry Officer has been directed to submit the report within 30 days.

In addition, the government has banned and blacklisted the authors and publishers of the two books across Jammu & Kashmir, directing that any printed material authored or published by them be withdrawn from the Union Territory with immediate effect.