IIOJK in focus

India’s education failure: 52% of IIOJK students can’t read basic texts

New Delhi: A recent report has uncovered a startling discrepancy in the academic performance of students in government-run schools in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, revealing that more than 52% of Class VIII students are unable to read a basic Class II textbooks

According to Kashmir Media Service, the Indian Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) 2024 revealed alarming statistics, highlighting the deep-rooted flaws in the occupied Kashmir’s educational framework and the growing concerns over the future of Kashmiri youth.

The ASER 2024 underscores a persistent decline in foundational learning among students, particularly in basic reading and arithmetic skills. The report revealed that only 47.2% of Class 8 students are able to read a Class 2-level text, a sharp Furthermore, only 28% of Class 8 students are capable of performing division task. These statistics reflect a concerning trend, with an increasingly large number of students falling behind in their basic education.

The report also highlighted that the out-of-school rate in IIOJK remains high, even among children in the 15-16 age group, further complicating the education scenario in the disputed territory.

Kashmiri analysts state that the Indian occupation government is systematically undermining the education system in IIOJK as part of a broader strategy to deprive the Kashmiri youth of the opportunity to excel and secure high-grade jobs. The territory’s educational institutions have long been plagued by instability, and the ongoing military violence, curfews, and insecurity further contribute to the erosion of the education system. Schools, colleges, and universities are often closed for weeks due to the volatile security situation, depriving children of their fundamental right to education.

Education experts has called lack of infrastructure and resources in educational institutions one of the most critical concerns. Classroom conditions in urban areas remain dismal, with many schools lacking basic facilities such as electricity, heating, or access to the internet.

Another major issue is the curriculum imposed by the Indian occupation government, which critics call inadequate and designed to marginalize the Muslim majority in IIOJK. The education system has been increasingly used as a vehicle for promoting Hindutva ideology and state-sponsored propaganda. A particularly disturbing development is the introduction of extracts from the Vedas, a Hindu religious text, into the curriculum. This move has been widely condemned as an attempt to impose Hindu culture and religion on a predominantly Muslim population, further exacerbating communal tensions.

Critics believe that these moves are part of a broader effort to erase Kashmiri history and culture, with the ultimate aim of diluting the territory’s Muslim-majority character and replacing it with a more homogeneous, Hindutva-driven narrative.

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