The School Education Department of the Government of Jammu and Kashmir has initiated a significant administrative rearrangement, appointing 22 principals and officers of equivalent rank to interim positions as Chief Education Officers (CEOs) and equivalent posts. The appointments, formalized under Government Order No: 227-JK (Edu) of 2026 dated June 12, 2026, are effective immediately and stipulate that the officers will serve in their existing pay and grade.
Information was available with The Chenab Times detailing that the order, issued under the authority of Commissioner/Secretary to the Government Ram Niwas Sharma, outlines the placement of these officials into acting capacities across various districts. This move is part of a broader effort to streamline administrative functions within the education sector in the Union Territory.
Among the 22 officials named in the order are Nazeer Ahmad Khan, Sarvadhaman Kumar, Pushpa Bhat, Veena Kumari, Irvinder Kour, Raj Kumari, Javid Iqbal Gulshan, Renuka Nagpal, Kalpana Jasrotia, Rozi Qureshi, Neetu Gandotra, Rafiq Ahmad Mir, Shadi Lal Gupta, Nikhat Mir, Anjum Raja, Farooq Ahmad Dar, Bashir Ahmad Ganai (RBA), Sapna Suri, Gh Nabi Najar, Fayaz Ahmad Mir, Wahida Shiekh, and Ab Rashid Malla. These officers are being assigned to roles that will oversee educational administration at the district level.
The department has also concurrently implemented a series of transfers and adjustments for other administrative positions. Notable among these shifts are Oneel Kumar Bhat, who moves from CEO Ganderbal to CEO Ramban; Sanjeev Kumar Suri, transitioning from Associate Professor JK SCERT to Principal DIET Rajouri; and Abdul Rashid Mir, moving from an attachment in the Directorate of School Education Kashmir to Principal DIET Kupwara. Deepak Kumar Gupta has been transferred from CEO Reasi to Principal DIET Reasi, while Rifat Irfan Qadri moves from Principal DIET Srinagar to CEO Budgam. Geetu Bangotra is appointed as CEO Reasi, having previously served as Coordinator Samagra Shiksha. Nazeer Ahmad Khan, formerly I/c Principal GGHSS Pampore, is now assigned as CEO Ganderbal.
Further adjustments include Sarvadhaman Kumar’s posting as Principal DIET Ramban, Pushpa Bhat to the SCERT Divisional Office Jammu, and Veena Kumari to SCERT J&K. Irvinder Kour will serve as Principal DIET Kud Udhampur, and Raj Kumari is posted to the SCERT Divisional Office Jammu. Javid Iqbal Gulshan has been appointed as CEO Poonch, with the additional charge of Principal DIET Poonch. Renuka Nagpal is assigned to SCERT JK Jammu, Kalpana Jasrotia to Samagra Shiksha, and Rozi Qureshi to Principal DIET Pampore Pulwama. Neetu Gandotra will serve as Principal DIET Shopian. Rafiq Ahmad Mir is the new CEO Bandipora, also holding additional charge of Principal DIET Bandipora. Shadi Lal Gupta is posted as Principal DIET Kulgam, Nikhat Mir as Principal DIET Sopore Baramulla, and Anjum Raja as CEO Pulwama. Farooq Ahmad Dar is appointed as CEO Anantnag, Bashir Ahmad Ganai as CEO Budgam, and Sapna Suri as Principal DIET Budgam. Gh Nabi Najar is the new CEO Baramulla, Fayaz Ahmad Mir as CEO Kulgam, Wahida Shiekh as Principal DIET Anantnag, and Ab. Rashid Malla to Principal DIET Ganderbal.
These interim appointments are subject to stringent conditions. They do not grant any preferential claim for future regularization or confirmation, which remains under the purview of the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) or the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC). Furthermore, all placements are contingent upon the outcomes of any writ petitions that may be pending before the competent courts.
Each officer is obligated to submit an undertaking to their respective director. This certification must attest to the authenticity of their academic and service credentials. Any discovery of fake, forged, or unrecognised institutional documents will lead to the immediate cancellation of the placement, rendering it void ab initio. Additionally, if any adverse report is received from the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), the General Administration Department (GAD), or other monitoring agencies, the appointment will be cancelled without delay.
All appointed officers are required to report to their new postings within a period of 10 days from the date of issuance of the order. Failure to comply with this joining period will result in the automatic cancellation of the placement, with no further notice issued.
The Chenab Times News Desk