J&K Reorganisation Act compulsory to study in schools

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, January 15

For the first time, the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE), in all its books from Classes VI to X, has made it mandatory for students to study the J&K Reorganisation Act from this academic year.

The changes in the curriculum and syllabus have been introduced in Kashmir this year after the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir was divided into two union territories and Article 370, that granted special rights to permanent residents, was abrogated five months ago.

“On the basis of a resolution passed in both Houses of Parliament, the President issued an order on August 6 declaring that all the clauses of Article 370 except clause (1) to be inoperative thus effectively ending special rights and privileges upon the J&K permanent residents, to the exclusion of other citizens of India more specially with the acquisition of immovable property and appointment to services,” reads the introducing paragraph from the new chapter introduced in the books which talks about the history of Jammu and Kashmir, specially with reference to the new changes in the Constitution after the abrogation of Article 370.

Officials said the changes had also been made in the textbook of mathematics of Class X wherein all chapters were now based on the NCERT syllabus. The government from the last one year has been taking several measures to bring the academic curriculum in Kashmir at par with the national curriculum. In the earlier books, it hardly included history of Kashmir.

The chapter further reads that “the J&K Reorganisation Act of 2019 came into effect on October 31, 2019, and thereupon superseded the constitution application to J&K order, 1954, as amended from time to time”.

The new chapter also talks about the formation of union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. It says that there shall be reservation for different schedules as per government rules in both UTs.

It says that all Central laws will be applicable in both UTs and 106 laws have been implemented with immediate effect. The content in the chapter also talks about the representation in Parliament. “This is important to give students knowledge about the new laws and the new Act. There has been a direction from the Central Government to bring such changes,” an official said.