Oldest missionary school in Kashmir faces closure, refuses to register students

SRINAGAR: The Kashmir’s oldest missionary St Joseph school is staring at closure as the school administration is struggling to get its land lease, which has expired, renewed and authorities have reportedly refused to register its students for board examinations due to absence of land lease documents.

The St Joseph’s Higher Secondary School in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district was established in 1905 on the government land leased to the school management by the authorities.

The lease of the land, according to the school management, expired in 2018 and they had approached the concerned government department for renewal of the land lease well before its expiry.

“The file including the recommendation of Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla is pending for approval in the office of Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir since April 2022,” the school management said.

The Lt Governor administration in Jammu and Kashmir in 2022 amended the rules under the Education Act, 2002 to provide for fresh guidelines relating to the use of land and building structures by private schools in the UT. It had ordered that all those private schools which are established on the state land should close the schooling of the enrolled children soon.

With authorities not renewing the land lease, the Board of School Education has reportedly refused to register its students for board examinations due to absence of land lease documents. The authorities are tagging students of such schools, whose land lease has not been renewed, to the neighbouring government Schools for Board Examinations of Session 2023-24. “The closure of Registration Return Forms (RRFs) by the Board of School Education (BOSE) leaves thousands of students in limbo as they are unable to register for upcoming exams,” the spokesman said.

Lease expired in 2018

The school was established in 1905 on the government land. The lease of the land, as per the school management, expired in 2018 and they had approached the concerned government department for renewal of the land lease well before its expiry.

This article is originally published on  https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Feb/05/oldest-missionary-school-in-kashmir-faces-closure-refuses-to-register-students