Teams of officials accompanied by police visited schools affiliated with the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) across the 10 districts of Kashmir as the J&K government on Saturday took over their management.
According to officials, the entire process was conducted "peacefully and smoothly", without disturbing the education of the students.
The School Education Department had on Friday ordered the takeover of 215 schools affiliated with JeI and its Falah-e-Aam Trust, where over 51,000 students are enrolled, in order to "safeguard their academic future".
On Saturday morning, officials of district administrations, principals of the respective nearest high and higher secondary schools, accompanied by police teams, reached these schools. The administrative teams took charge of the schools, checked their documents and the infrastructure, as well as interacted with the staff, the officials said.
The move drew criticism from political parties in Jammu and Kashmir, including PDP, People's Conference and Apni Party, which called it "administrative overreach".
Justice and Development Front (JDF) J-K -- formed by the former members of the banned JeI -- denounced the government move, saying it was a "painful reminder" of the National Conference's "history of betrayal".
PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said it is unfortunate that the ruling party in J&K "is going against its own people and implementing the BJP's agenda".
However, a teacher at one of such schools in south Kashmir's Anantnag district welcomed the government move.
"I think it is a good step. We used to face a lot of difficulties, but now I think everything will be streamlined," Mohammad Ishaq, teacher at Hanfia Islamia Institute at Tachloo area of the district, said.
He said the district magistrates used to frame the managing bodies of the schools in the 1980s as well.
A student at the school, Aliya Irshad, said the move will benefit the students and the staff. "The school will improve and prosper," she said.
She also demanded that the government increase the salaries of the staff as they work very hard for the students.
The Friday order said, "The Managing Committee of the 215 schools shall be taken over by the District Magistrate/ Deputy Commissioner concerned who shall propose a fresh Managing Committee in due course for the concerned schools after getting these duly verified." The Union Ministry of Home Affairs, on February 28, 2019, and again on February 27, 2024, declared the Jel as an unlawful association under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
"The Intelligence Agencies have identified a number of schools which were found to be directly or indirectly affiliated with proscribed organisation Jamat-e-Islami (Jel)/Falah-e-Aam Trust (FAT)," the order said.
It said the validity of the managing committees of these schools has expired, and also these panels have been "reported adversely" by the intelligence agencies.
The order said the decision to take over the managing committees of such schools has been taken in order to safeguard the academic future of the students enrolled in these schools.
The concerned District Magistrate/ Deputy Commissioner shall take appropriate steps in consultation and in coordination with the School Education Department to ensure that the academic career of the students enrolled in these schools is not affected in any manner, it added.
Education Minister Sakina Itoo, however, said that the schools will be looked after by the principals of the nearby high or higher secondary schools. She said the draft approved by her on Friday mentioned that the cluster principals would look after these schools, contrary to the order issued by the School Education Department Secretary, an IAS officer who reports to the LG.
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