Welcomes decision, terms it ‘saviour’ of career of lakhs of poor students
SRINAGAR: The High Court has provided relief to private schools operating on community and government lands, following a series of writ petitions challenging Notification/S.O. 177 dated April 15, 2022, and seeking additional relief, the Private Schools Association J&K said on Friday.
In his ruling, Acting Chief Justice Tashi Rabstan stated that schools operating on Kahcharie, State Shamilat, or similar lands could either acquire proprietary land or approach the relevant authorities for consideration, the PSAJK said in a press release issued here. “This could include the exchange of proprietary land in lieu of Kahcharie, State Shamilat, or other similar lands, as permitted under the Land Revenue Act or other applicable laws.”
The court, according to the statement, has directed all such school owners to submit their applications within four weeks. The Principal Secretary to the Government, Department of School Education, U.T. of J&K/J&K Board of School Education, will be responsible for processing these applications. The applications will either be decided by the Principal Secretary or by a committee comprising senior officers from the School Education Department, the J&K Board of School Education, the Revenue Department, or other relevant departments, within four months.
Until land rights are granted, the petitioners will be allowed to continue operating their schools. For cases where Kahcharie or State Shamilat land is not involved, the court has allowed petitioners to approach the Principal Secretary within four weeks. The Principal Secretary or the designated committee will decide on these applications within four months, ensuring that the petitioners are heard during the process.
Meanwhile, these schools will be permitted to continue operating.
The Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) has welcomed the court’s decision, stating that it has provided hope to the thousands of poor students studying in these schools, safeguarding their futures.