Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo recently convened a high-level meeting to thoroughly examine the state of school education across the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The central focus was on boosting student learning outcomes and effectively implementing various schemes designed to elevate the education system throughout the region.
During the session, Chief Secretary Dulloo strongly advocated for the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into the educational environment. He directed the School Education Department to create an AI-powered learning module capable of delivering personalized lessons based on individual student assessments. This approach aims to pinpoint and address students’ specific weak areas more efficiently. To achieve this, he suggested seeking technical expertise from the Bhaskaracharya National Institute for Space Applications and Geo-informatics (BISAG-N).
Addressing student enrollment trends, the Chief Secretary voiced concern over the stagnation in government school enrollments at the primary and middle school levels. He pointed out that despite significantly higher investment and a much larger number of government primary schools compared to private institutions, enrollment figures remain almost identical. Consequently, he called for an in-depth study to understand the underlying reasons for this trend and to develop practical recommendations to reverse it.
To bolster governance and real-time monitoring, Dulloo instructed the department to develop a comprehensive digital dashboard offering a complete overview of each school. This platform should integrate crucial data such as class-wise student enrollment, teacher availability, periodic assessment results, and infrastructure status. The goal is to facilitate data-driven decision-making to enhance the quality of education.
Reviewing the basic amenities in schools, the Chief Secretary emphasized that no school should lack essential utilities like water supply, electricity, and washrooms, as their absence impedes the delivery of quality education.
Furthermore, he advised the department to explore mechanisms for deploying vocational and subject-specific teachers in schools facing critical shortages. He suggested leveraging provisions under the Samagra Shiksha scheme or reconsidering the freeze on general line teacher recruitment to ensure adequate staffing levels.
On the occasion, ACS, SED, Shantmanu, presented a detailed progress report on the implementation of education-related schemes in the UT, highlighting significant advancements across various aspects of the education sector.
The review meeting covered ongoing projects, civil infrastructure development, digital transformation initiatives, the implementation of NEP-2020, and other reforms aimed at improving the quality of education across all districts.
Regarding the PM SHRI scheme, it was reported that 396 schools have been designated as PM SHRI Schools, featuring advanced infrastructure and experiential learning facilities.
The establishment of 45 Atal Tinkering Labs, 159 STEM Labs, and 188 Robotics Labs is in progress. Additionally, efforts to create a more conducive school environment include the provision of sports equipment and green initiatives like vermicomposting and clean-up drives to promote inclusive education.
In terms of Vidya Samiksha Kendra and Digital Reforms, a state-of-the-art Vidya Samiksha Kendra, modeled after the Gujarat initiative, has been established in Teachers Bhawan, Jammu. This center enables real-time data analysis for informed decision-making. Innovative tools like the JK Attendance App (geo-tagged facial recognition), Parent Pulse Bot, and Smart Attendance System have significantly improved monitoring and feedback mechanisms, with 74% of schools adopting the Smart Attendance system.
Regarding civil works, out of 8,902 projects approved under Samagra Shiksha since 2018-19, approximately 4,691 have been completed, including buildings, toilets, and boundary walls. Notably, in 2024-25 alone, 980 works were completed with an expenditure of ₹94.8 crore. Under PM SHRI, 250 works are currently underway, and an additional 316 smaller works have been entrusted to the Rural Development Department.
Concerning the establishment of Girls Hostels and KGBVs, 89 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) are fully operational, enrolling 5,012 students. Out of 85 sanctioned girls’ hostels, 41 have been completed, and 22 more are targeted for completion by August 2025. Furthermore, the establishment of 25 additional hostels is underway with funds already released.
Skill education is being imparted in 1,350 schools with over 1.41 lakh students enrolled in 15 vocational trades. This inclusive and skill-based education has enabled 17,901 Children with Special Needs (CWSN) to enroll in schools, and assistive devices were provided to 4,990 students with special needs. Additionally, 1,335 vocational labs have been established, with 1,915 more to be set up by June 2025.
Regarding the implementation of NEP 2020, pre-primary classes have commenced in 15,550 schools, with “Phoolwari” activity books developed for these students. 16,000 teachers were trained in FLN (Foundational Literacy and Numeracy) under the Vidya Pravesh module. The SCERT J&K has developed comprehensive learning materials, including Urdu and Dogri language content, toy-based pedagogy guides, and non-academic books for the National Digital Library.
More than 1.14 lakh employees now mark attendance via the JK Attendance App. Under the NISHTHA program, nearly 1.5 lakh teachers have received training across various modules. Two DIETs (District Institutes of Education and Training) have been selected for transformation into Centres of Excellence equipped with smart classrooms, research facilities, and ICT integration.
Regarding budgetary support and fund utilization, ₹411 crore under Samagra Shiksha, ₹43 crore under PM POSHAN, ₹2.51 crore under NILP, and ₹51 crore under PM SHRI have been released. Furthermore, ₹6.82 crore were utilized for green initiatives in PM SHRI schools, and ₹3.15 crore in annual school grants were disbursed to 396 schools.
The department reaffirmed its commitment to achieving 100% saturation of ICT Labs and Smart Classrooms in all higher secondary schools by FY 2025-26. Additionally, plans are in place for the introduction of vocational education in 550 more schools and the establishment of additional innovative labs and digital infrastructure.
