J&K suspends eight education officials over controversial library books, orders high-level probe

The Jammu and Kashmir Government on Saturday suspended eight officials of the School Education Department and disengaged a contractual assistant over the approval and procurement of two controversial library books found to contain “highly inappropriate” content allegedly glorifying separatism. The government has also ordered a high-level inquiry into the lapse.

The two books, titled Personalities and Legends of J&K (Series 4), were procured under the Samagra Shiksha programme.

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The suspension order was issued on the directions of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

Those suspended include Samagra Shiksha Coordinator (Library) Fazil Imran Saddiqui, Assistant Coordinator Gurjeet Singh, Principal Sanjeev Sharma, Academic Officer Shazia Kouser, and Lecturers Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir, Niranjan Sharma, Renu Mengi and Rajmohini.

Sheikh Suheel Ahmad, a contractual computer assistant, has been disengaged with immediate effect.

Taking serious note of the matter, the government has ordered a high-level inquiry to be conducted by senior IAS officer Ashwani Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Power Development Department. Rohit Sharma, JKAS, Additional Secretary, General Administration Department (GAD), has been appointed as the Presenting Officer in the case.

The action came hours after the School Education Department withdrew the two books following widespread criticism from the BJP and other quarters over their inclusion in government school libraries.

According to Government Order No. 257-JK(Edu) of 2026, the government observed that there had been “serious negligence, dereliction of duty and lack of proper due diligence” on the part of the members of the Series-4 Sub-Committee and supervisory officers who recommended the books despite their “highly inappropriate content” relating to separatism, which, according to the order, had the potential to create law-and-order issues.

The order stated that Samagra Shiksha had received a library grant for procuring age-appropriate books for 18,328 government schools and 394 PM SHRI schools, following which an Expression of Interest (EOI) was floated.

It further stated that four expert sub-committees, comprising academicians from the Jammu and Kashmir divisions, were constituted to evaluate and recommend books for different school levels.

According to the order, 123 copies of one of the objectionable books were supplied to schools in the Jammu, Ramban and Udhampur districts, while 128 copies of the other book were distributed to schools in the Jammu and Baramulla districts before both titles were withdrawn.

Meanwhile, Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma sought stringent action against those responsible for the controversy and also demanded a ban on books that glorify terrorism.