Four Schools to Lose Affiliation; Eight Others Fined for Violating JKBOSE Textbook Rules: Parents Expose Reality Behind SRO 123 Enforcement
By: Javid Amin | 19 November 2025
For years, private schools across Jammu & Kashmir have been instructed to follow a simple, non-negotiable rule: only JKBOSE-prescribed textbooks shall be used in classrooms. This directive, backed by SRO 123, was designed to protect parents from excessive textbook costs and ensure standardization across schools.
However, recent developments have exposed a deep disconnect between policy and practice.
In a significant action, the Jammu & Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) has announced that four private schools are set to lose their affiliation, while eight others have been fined for violating textbook guidelines. The violations include unauthorized curriculum changes, selling unapproved textbooks, and pressuring parents to buy costly private books.
But beyond the official crackdown lies a troubling reality — one where many parents still face intimidation, financial exploitation, and academic confusion created by private curricula operating outside the JKBOSE mandate.
The Crackdown: JKBOSE Acts Against Textbook Violations
JKBOSE’s latest move has sent shockwaves across the private school sector. According to Board officials:
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Four schools will lose affiliation for repeated, deliberate violation of SRO 123
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Eight schools have been fined for using unauthorized textbooks
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Schools were found prescribing expensive private books instead of JKBOSE titles
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Some institutions introduced entire private curricula, claiming they were “modern” or “international standard”
These actions indicate that the Board is attempting to reinforce the long-ignored mandate that every private school must use JKBOSE-approved learning material, without exceptions.
But on the ground, the situation is far more complex.
Ground Reality: Parents Still Being Forced to Buy Costly Private Books
Despite the government’s crackdown, many schools continue to push parents toward unapproved textbooks, workbooks, and supplementary materials—even in early classes.
Parents report being:
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Forced to buy entire sets of private books
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Threatened that their child will “fall behind” if they refuse
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Told that Board books are “outdated” or “not enough”
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Asked to purchase add-on language books, notebooks, and digital manuals
Many families feel cornered, helpless, and financially drained.
A Parent Speaks Out: “We Are Being Forced to Buy LEAD Curriculum Books”
One frustrated parent from New Convent School, speaking anonymously, shared a distressing experience:
“We have been forced to shed huge amounts on a new curriculum called LEAD. It is totally different from the JKBOSE syllabus. On top of that, the school asks us to buy add-on books for languages and other subjects. This is draining us financially and confusing our children academically.”
This testimony is not isolated.
Across Srinagar, Pulwama, Budgam, Anantnag, Baramulla, and other districts, parents recount similar struggles:
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Forced book bundles costing ₹8,000–₹15,000
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Mandatory “curriculum kits” sold through school-approved vendors
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Unofficial booklists shared secretly before the session begins
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Resistance punished through classroom discrimination or negative remarks
All of this stands in direct violation of SRO 123.
The Financial Burden: Families Are Being Squeezed
The use of private curricula like LEAD, Pearson, Oxford Advantage, and E-Next has created a parallel education market — one that is expensive, unregulated, and entirely outside JKBOSE’s framework.
Parents are forced to pay for:
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Costly textbooks not prescribed by the Board
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Extra assessment workbooks
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Language enhancement books
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Digital subscriptions
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School-tied manuals or activity kits
The issue becomes especially painful for:
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Middle-income families struggling with rising inflation
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Parents with multiple school-going children
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Single parents or families with limited resources
Several parents say they fear retaliation if they protest — including academic bias, teacher indifference, or their child being singled out.
The Academic Confusion: Two Syllabi, One Child
Perhaps the most damaging consequence of unauthorized private curricula is academic confusion among students.
The mismatch occurs because:
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Students study from private books during the school year
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Exams are conducted on JKBOSE pattern
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Teachers must juggle both systems
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Students end up underprepared for Board assessments
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Conceptual gaps increase, especially in higher classes
This dual-syllabus environment leads to:
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Stress and anxiety
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Mixed learning outcomes
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Difficulty aligning with JKBOSE past papers
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Poor exam performance
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Reduced confidence among students
Teachers privately admit they are “caught in the middle” — bound by Board rules but pressured by school managements to follow private content.
SRO 123: A Law Conveniently Ignored by Many Schools
SRO 123, issued in 2010 and reinforced multiple times, clearly states:
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“Only books prescribed by the Jammu & Kashmir Board of School Education shall be used in all schools affiliated to the Board.”
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Schools cannot force or recommend private publications
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Schools cannot sell books on campus or via tied vendors
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Schools cannot introduce separate private curricula
Yet, unfortunately, the implementation remains weak.
Many school administrators justify their actions by claiming:
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“Parents demanded modern curriculum.”
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“Board books are outdated.”
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“Private books have better presentation.”
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“We follow international pedagogy standards.”
These justifications do not change the fact that the law is the law—and schools are bound to follow it.
The Policy vs. Practice Gap: A Deep-System Failure
The situation reveals a systemic issue in Kashmir’s private school sector.
Policy:
Clear, strict, unambiguous requirements by JKBOSE under SRO 123.
Practice:
Schools continue to violate with confidence, knowing enforcement is weak.
Impact:
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Parents financially harassed
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Students academically confused
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Teachers pressured
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Board credibility questioned
This widening gap shows that fines and affiliation cancellations alone may not be enough to create real change.
Why Schools Push Private Curricula: Behind the Scenes
Insiders suggest several motivations:
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Commission-based deals with publishers
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Higher margins on private book bundles
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Branding and marketing needs
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Perception that private curriculum = modern education
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Pressure to compete with elite schools
Some schools even sell books directly through:
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School-appointed shops
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Tied-up distributors
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“Authorized sellers” who provide commissions
All of this is illegal — yet continues unabated.
What Parents Can Do: A Clear Action Roadmap
Parents do have agency under SRO 123.
Here’s how to use it effectively:
1. Document Every Forced Purchase
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Keep receipts
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Save booklists
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Screenshot WhatsApp messages
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Record verbal instructions when possible
2. Raise Concerns Collectively
Schools respond more seriously when approached by a parent group, not an individual.
3. File Written Complaints to JKBOSE
Submit copies of:
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Booklists
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Receipts
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Communications
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Evidence of coercion
Complaints can be submitted to regional JKBOSE offices or the Director of School Education.
4. Seek Legal Recourse
Courts in J&K have repeatedly upheld SRO 123.
Parents have a strong legal foundation to challenge forced purchases.
5. Approach the District Education Officer (DEO)
DEOs are empowered to:
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Conduct inspections
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Recommend action
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Issue warnings
If a school refuses compliance, escalate the matter.
Editorial Note: Enforcement Must Go Beyond Announcements
While JKBOSE’s recent actions are commendable, they represent only the first step in cleaning up the textbook mess in private schools.
Real reform requires:
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Stronger monitoring teams
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Surprise inspections
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A parent complaint portal
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Annual textbook audits
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Penalties for repeat offenders
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Transparency reports published publicly
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Protection for parents who speak up
School education must not become a marketplace where families are pressured, children confused, and policies selectively ignored.
If the government truly wants accountability, enforcement must move from paper to practice, from announcements to implementation, and from symbolic action to systemic reform.
