EDUCATION

The Jammu Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) has published the 2024 edition of the tenth standard book Disaster Management and Road Safety Education, which has sparked controversy for replacing the word “state” with “UT” in multiple instances. This change has led to confusion among students and parents, as phrases such as “fainting is a state of human body” were modified to “fainting is a UT of human body,” and “state of shock” was changed to “UT of shock.” https://twitter.com/parawahid/status/1890783245802864962?s=19 It appears that a computer command was used to replace the word "state" with "UT" throughout the text, without considering the context in which the term was used. As a result, the alterations have impacted the educational material's accuracy and meaning, leading...

A new module of registration and online application form replacing the Detailed Application Form (DAF)-I and DAF-II has been introduced by the UPSC in civil services examination-2025, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Thursday. The primary objective for implementing this module is to enhance convenience for the candidates, streamline the application process and optimise the examination cycle, he said. The civil services examination (CSE) is conducted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) annually in accordance with the CSE rules notified by the Department of Personnel & Training, said Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel. “A new module of registration and online application form replacing the Detailed Application Form (DAF)-I and DAF-II has been introduced by...

A youth who resident of Srinagar, has been arrested in connection with the stabbing of another student following an argument in Delhi’s New Friends Colony on Monday evening, Indian Express reported. The arrested individual, identified as Tajamul Islam, was taken into custody at the scene, while his accomplice, Lukman, managed to flee. Both are from Jammu Kashmir and study at a private university in Noida. As per the report, the incident occurred when the victim, Zeshan, also from Jammu Kashmir, was standing with his friend, Safdar Rashid Rathar, at a parking lot on Sujan Mohinder Marg. A verbal exchange with Tajamul and Lukman escalated into violence, leading to Zeshan being stabbed. He was immediately taken to the hospital and is now in stable condition. Police recovered th...

In Jammu Kashmir, over 17 percent of students at primary level and 12 percent learners at senior secondary level quit studies midway—thus raising a question on the functioning of the department. The official figures accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) reveal that “The retention rate at Primary level in Jammu and Kashmir was 82.70 and 88.42 at senior secondary level.” The official documents however state that, “About 46,000 Out of School Children (OoSC) have been mainstreamed.” Meanwhile, the government-run-school teachers say that many students in rural areas quit studies midway. “The retention problem is mainly seen in tribal and remote areas wherein the students quit studies midway.” The documents further state that a notable shift of thousands of students...

Danishwar Hameed A school building in Rahpora area of Khudwani, located in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, has been allegedly converted into a cowshed, sparking concern among locals. Originally built under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA) scheme to provide education to local children, the school building has stood abandoned for years, with its premises now housing several cattle. Locals speaking to The Kashmiriyat expressed their dismay at the sight, highlighting the disrespect shown to a structure meant for the community’s educational upliftment. The situation has raised serious concerns regarding the neglect of educational infrastructure in the region. Speaking to reporters, Maqbool Ahmad Wani, the Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) of Qaimoh, admitted he was unaware of the enc...

A team at Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), led by a Kashmir-born scientist, has achieved a revolutionary breakthrough in oral cancer detection. Utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and digital pathology, the innovation promises to make cancer diagnostics more precise, affordable, and accessible globally. Dr. Tanveer Ahmad, a gene-editing specialist from Kashmir, and his PhD student, Nisha Chaudhary, from the university's Multidisciplinary Centre for Advanced Research and Studies (MCARS), spearheaded the development. Their pioneering technology, recently granted a patent by the Indian government, is titled A System and Method for Genomic Markers and Digital Pathology Image-Based Prediction of Oral Malignant Disorders. This advanced system examines genomic markers and tissue images ...

A young entrepreneur from Jammu Kashmir has appealed to the Chief Minister for intervention in releasing a long-overdue payment under the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao (BBBP) program. The payment, pending for over four years, pertains to supplies made for the celebration of International Girl Child Day in Baramulla district. Faizan Mohammad, Director of M/S Samzan Pvt Ltd, had provided baby gift kits, sanitary pads, banners, and other materials for the event, which were documented and distributed among beneficiaries. As per an official order dated May 1, 2024, and subsequent communications, accessed by The Kashmiriyat, the stock register maintained by the District Programme Officer (DPO), ICDS Baramulla, confirms the receipt and use of the materials. The celebration was conducted wit...

The Cabinet has approved the New Education Policy (NEP), bringing changes to India’s education system after 34 years. The policy introduces a new 5+3+3+4 framework for schooling, replacing the traditional 10+2 system. The structure is divided into foundational, preparatory, middle, and secondary stages, redefining the way education is imparted to students. 5 Years Fundamental:   1. Nursery at 4 years 2. Jr KG at 5 years 3. Sr KG at 6 years 4. Std 1st at 7 years 5. Std 2nd at 8 years 3 Years Preparatory: 6. Std 3rd at 9 years 7. Std 4th at 10 years 8. Std 5th at 11 years 3 Years Middle: 9. Std 6th at 12 years 10. Std 7th at 13 years 11. Std 8th at 14 years 4 Years Secondary:   12. Std 9th at 15 years 13. Std SSC at 16 years 14. Std FYJC at 17 year...

Dr. Muzamil Majid Khan, a scientist from Hanjiwera Bala, Baramulla, has identified dextromethorphan, a common cough suppressant, as a potential treatment for lung fibrosis, a life-threatening condition with no cure. Published in the December 2024 issue of Science Translational Medicine, the study reveals how the drug inhibits collagen buildup, reducing scarring in lung tissues. The findings, validated through advanced techniques like proteomics and microscopy, showed promising results in human lung cells, 3D-cultured tissues, and mouse models. Dr. Khan, based at EMBL Heidelberg in Germany, collaborated with leading research centers to advance the discovery toward phase II clinical trials. “Hard work never goes in vain,” he said, encouraging aspiring scientists in Kashmir to persev...

India recorded a total of 43,268,181 students enrolled in higher education during 2021-22, with 2,108,033 Muslim students making up only 4.87% of the total enrolment. This marks a decline from the previous years when the enrolment stood at 5.24% in 2019 and 5.5% in 2020, before falling to 4.6% in 2021. The Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) across the country averages at 24.1, reflecting moderate access to higher education. Jammu Kashmir, now a Union Territory, stands out for its higher participation rates in higher education, likely due to its Muslim-majority population. Out of 400,423 total students, 138,142 are Muslims, constituting 34.5% of the total enrolment. This reflects the region's significant Muslim representation in higher education institutions. With a GER of 24.8, the region showc...