SRINAGAR, FEB 12 – The Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) government is reviewing a proposal to introduce Kashmiri and Dogri languages as subjects in school curricula from grades 1 to 10 in their respective spoken areas, following representations from various stakeholders, including the Kashmiri Language Union.
According to an official communication from the School Education Department, Civil Secretariat – J&K, the matter has been brought to the attention of the J&K Board of School Education (JKBOSE) and the Director of School Education (Kashmir and Jammu) for further action. The communication, dated February 10, 2025, references a memorandum submitted by the President of the Kashmiri Language Union (KLU) alongside the Deputy Chief Minister of J&K, advocating for the inclusion of these regional languages in the education system and the recruitment of subject-specific teachers.
The proposal aligns with ongoing efforts to promote linguistic and cultural heritage in J&K, where Kashmiri and Dogri are widely spoken. The demand for inclusion of these languages is particularly relevant to Chenab Valley, comprising Doda, Kishtwar, and Ramban districts, where Kashmiri is spoken by over 46% of the population as per the 2011 Census.
In the official directive, the Deputy Director (Planning, Development & Monitoring) of the School Education Department, Ravinder Singh, has instructed the relevant authorities to examine the contents of the representations and take necessary action.
The memorandum also includes a request for teacher recruitment to ensure the smooth implementation of language instruction. Stakeholders argue that the lack of trained Kashmiri and Dogri language teachers has hindered the proper integration of these subjects into the curriculum.
Additionally, a separate request from the Minister for Agriculture Production, Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, Cooperative and Election Department, J&K, has been noted in the directive. This request pertains to the inclusion of Biology in the mainstream curriculum and the unfreezing of 10+2 lecturer posts to address faculty shortages.
Linguistic and Educational Reforms in J&K
The proposal for including Kashmiri and Dogri in schools is in line with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes education in the mother tongue or regional languages to improve cognitive development and preserve cultural identity.
The Kashmiri Language Union (Trust) has actively pursued discussions with government officials, including Education Minister Sakina Itoo, MLA Doda Mehraj Malik, Deputy CM Surinder Choudhary, and recently met with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who assured support for the initiative. The Union has also been advocating for the recruitment of Kashmiri language teachers under a Rehbar-e-Zabaan scheme, similar to other existing employment initiatives in J&K.
With the government now formally considering these representations, stakeholders are optimistic about the inclusion of Kashmiri and Dogri in the school curriculum. The decision is expected to have long-term cultural and educational implications for the region.
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Anzer Ayoob is the Founder and Chief Editor to The Chenab Times
