This shows the crumbling edifice of our education system
How to start writing this article is an insurmountable task for me! When the pious system of education is derailed, the only thing to expect is to watch how far the derailed train of education will keep moving and how much damage it will do before coming to its screeching halt.
For the past two weeks or more, the erring paper setters hired by the JKBOSE have made a mockery of this institution. The paper setters, consciously or unconsciously, asked questions from the deleted syllabus or questions with errors. This left the students, their parents, and teachers flabbergasted. Starting from Class 10 to Class 11, it is a long list of errors. From asking an MCQ with no matching options to asking for the summary of a prose chapter from the Class 10 Urdu textbook, it has brought shame to the JKBOSE. In the former case, an MCQ from the history portion of Social Studies had no matching option, and in the latter case, the summary of a chapter was asked, which had been deleted earlier for the sake of burden shedding. As the students were left in the lurch after completing these two papers, the same institution came into the limelight again when almost 16 marks worth of questions were asked from the rationalized syllabus of Class 11 Mathematics.
Last but not least, the science paper, which was held on March 3, 2025, also had discrepancies. Apart from spelling mistakes, two MCQs were included from the deleted syllabi. Moreover, the paper setters also included two out-of-syllabus questions from the chapter Heredity and one doubtful question from the chapter Life Processes. In the latter case, the element of doubt arises because transportation in plants is not deleted from the textbook, while its sub-section (transportation in human beings or mammals) is deleted. There is more to add to this list; however, it becomes too cluttered or repetitive to read.
Now, the question of importance is how the JKBOSE has loosened its grip and let the future of students dangle like a pendulum! The erring paper setters must have been advised to go through the former as well as the rationalized syllabi in order to protect their reputation. Instead, they have brought endless miseries to the whole community.
This unfortunate saga is the result of many factors. The first is non-seriousness towards education. In our society, education has become a non-serious entity. When hollow sloganeering has become the order of the day, education has taken a backseat. In the rhetoric of petty politics, all energy is consumed in tarnishing each other’s images in the political arena. When this is the state of affairs, one can easily deduce how education will perform here!
The second is corruption. Corruption has eaten into the vitals of our society, particularly education. Most of the officials at the helm of affairs are corrupt. These officials chase posts and money, and their lives revolve around financial gains. In this way, education is slaughtered mercilessly at the altar of a false mighty.
The third is the lack of accountability. When there is a dearth of accountability, hoping for the redressal of our grievances is a mirage. When officials are unacquainted with the definition of the word transparency, the house of education collapses like a pack of cards, throwing order to the winds. In the absence of accountability, no one believes in the rhetoric of so-called academicians, who are merely champions of lip service.
The fourth and final issue is the corporate nature of education. Now, education has become merely a money-minting process. Children are viewed through the lens of profit. In such a situation, how can a reasonable person expect anything creative and sustainable from the so-called head institutions and affiliated organizations? When almost all educational institutions are hand in glove with corrupt higher officials, the grand edifice of education is bound to tumble down.
In order to set the house of education in order, accountability and transparency must be given the topmost priority. The erring paper setters must be given exemplary punishment. They must be debarred from framing question papers in the future. Their irresponsible behavior can cost students their futures, and they must be taken to task as early as possible.
Moreover, corrupt officials must be shown the door. Fraudulent officials should be removed from the system. In order to cleanse the system, the big fish must be caught first. They are the ones who slip through the nets. It is they who set the precedent for smaller corrupt elements to follow.
Furthermore, authentic and well-versed individuals must be hired to frame question papers. Those who understand the intricacies of the paper-setting process should be welcomed and asked to create comprehensive question papers that accurately evaluate students’ understanding.
Apart from these measures, the government should take a leading role. I request the worthy Education Minister to streamline the system. Her dedication to the cause of educational upliftment is well known. However, the rot runs deep, and it will take immense effort to bring the derailed system back on track. Her intervention in this regard is the urgent need of the hour. She is in the best position to dispel doubts and accusations. She is the most competent authority to take drastic steps to fuel the growth of education in our Union Territory.
In conclusion, we cannot afford to see our future being destroyed in the name of so-called education. We cannot be so stone-hearted as to watch our innocent generations being spoiled for nothing. The age of rhetoric is over. The need of the hour is to rejuvenate the garden of education in Jammu and Kashmir. Our education system has become the soft target of every kind of upsurge. We are not in a position to bear the brunt of more failures.
Our souls are numb. Our hearts are broken. Depression and anxiety have taken a prominent seat in our lives. Our palpitating hearts need the soft touch of healing. A healing balm is what our wounds are in dire need of.
I am hoping against hope that next time, the JKBOSE will not err in any manner. This time, the issue must be resolved, and the short memory of people will enable them to forget it. However, wounds are wounds—do not let them bleed further.
Hope good sense prevails!
Syed Mustafa Ahmad
sy************@***il.com