Behind them, in the houses they continue to sweat for, lies a troubling reality: grown men in their late twenties and thirties, physically capable and mentally sharp, remain fast asleep or glued to digital screens. This is the silent epidemic of generational inertia, a social crisis that is eroding the foundation of the Kashmiri family structure and leaving an aging generation in a state of perpetual, silent suffering.

The inversion of the social contract

Culturally, the Himalayan valley has always functioned on a simple, unwritten pact: parents sacrifice their youth to nurture and educate their children, and in return, as the parents enter their twilight years, the children take over the mantle of financial responsibility. This transition is supposed to be the “golden period” for elders—a time for spiritual reflection and community engagement. However, this cycle has been violently disrupted. We are witnessing a phase where the “ultimate onus” of survival never shifts. The octogenarian father remains the primary breadwinner, while the thirty-year-old son remains a perpetual dependent. This isn’t just an economic failure; it is a profound psychological burden. These parents suffer in a “double bind”—they are physically exhausted by labor their bodies can no longer sustain.

The Culture of the Culvert and the Digital Screen

Walk through any Kashmiri village or urban colony during peak working hours, and the symptoms of this malaise are visible. You will find groups of able-bodied youth huddled on road culverts or perched on shop pickets. The air is thick not with talk of enterprise or labor, but with aimless gossip and the blue light of smart phones. The digital revolution, while a boon for many, has become a sanctuary for the idle. For a significant portion of our youth, the virtual world has become a replacement for the physical hustle. This “gossip culture” at shop fronts acts as a social sedative; when everyone around you is equally unproductive, the individual shame of unemployment or idleness is diluted.

The looming sustainability crisis

The question that keeps these elderly parents awake at night is simple yet haunting: How will this family sustain in the long run? The current model is built on “depleting assets.” The elderly are spending their final reserves of health and savings to keep the kitchen fires burning. When these “grey-haired pillars” inevitably fall, there is no foundation left. The lack of financial activity among the youth means there are no savings, no investments, and, more importantly, no work ethic being developed. We are heading toward a future where a significant portion of our population will reach middle age without ever having held a steady job, leaving them utterly ill-equipped to handle the complexities of a modern economy.

The tragedy of inherited poverty

The crisis reaches its most heart-wrenching peak when these idle men get married. Under social pressure or the hope that “marriage will make him responsible,” families enter into alliances they cannot afford. The result is often catastrophic. When a man in his thirties cannot provide the basic necessities—food, medicine, or hygiene—for his spouse and offspring, the domestic environment turns toxic. It leads to depression, domestic friction, and a sense of hopelessness that is passed down to the next generation.

Breaking the Silence

The “silent suffering” must end, and that begins with a difficult conversation within our society. We must address several factors:

1. The dignity of labor: somewhere along the way, we developed a disdain for “small” jobs. Many youth wait for a government “order” that may never come, refusing to engage in agriculture, craftsmanship, or local trade. We must re-instill the idea that any honest work is better than idle dependency.
2. Parental tough love: while the empathy for parents is paramount, there is also a need for a shift in parenting. Shielding a thirty-year-old from the realities of the market is not an act of love; it is an act of long-term sabotage.
3. Community intervention: religious leaders and village elders must use their influence to discourage the “culvert culture.” The platforms of our mosques and community centers should be used to talk about the religious and social obligation of a man to provide for his family.

Dr. Mushtaq Rather is an educator

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Through patient dialogue, home visits, and genuine community engagement, he began changing mindsets one family at a time. His compassion merged with unwavering persistence to build a bridge of trust between the school and the community. Today, that same institution proudly records 67 girl students, a statistic that is as much about social awakening as about the power of a teacher’s determination.

A Vision Rooted in Collaboration

Sheikh’s approach to transformation goes far beyond the classroom. His work makes it clear that a school flourishes when it is a shared project—of teachers, administrators, parents, and the larger system. He cultivated strong collaborations with departments like the Chief Education Office Anantnag, Rural Development, the Tourism department, Public Health Engineering, and the Deputy Commissioner’s Office to bring resources and attention to the school. He often acknowledges the role of visionary administrators in this journey. Former Deputy Commissioner Anantnag K.K. Sidha, deeply impressed by the school’s progress, sanctioned a hi-tech projector, public address system, and digital teaching aids. The current Deputy Commissioner of Anantnag, Dr. Syed Fakhrudin Hamid, further strengthened the infrastructure through smart TVs, pavement tiles, and upgraded learning facilities. That is what makes Sheikh stand out: he merges grassroots activism with institutional partnership, a rare blend in our educational landscape. All these efforts culminated in national recognition when he received the National Teacher Award 2023 from President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi. At the event, Sheikh also had the opportunity to interact with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to share his story of how a remote government school became a model for innovation.

Innovations That Inspire

What makes PM Shri Government Middle School Poshnari different today are the new interventions, imaginative concepts that make learning tangible, enjoyable, and values-based. These are not high-budget initiatives but rooted in imagination and deep insight into children’s psychology. Some of the unique interventions of the institution include:

Building as a Learning Aid

Learning starts the moment one steps into Sheikh’s school. Every wall, floor, and space speaks something related to education—numbers, alphabets, science diagrams, or cultural motifs—through Building as a Learning Aid (BaLA). Students learn subconsciously as they move through the premises, blurring the line between play and pedagogy.

The Open Library

A spacious, inviting open library serves as a haven for readers at all stages of life. Stocked with books on literature, science, and the art and storytelling of reading, it is freely accessible to every student. The goal is simple yet deep: to make reading an act of delight rather than duty.

Science Laboratory Corner

A science lab corner permits the learners to investigate, explore, and work out scientific ideas through practical work. This has transformed passive learners into active investigators, something every science teacher would dream of seeing.

Mathematics Corner

Abstract formulae meet their counterparts in real, three-dimensional models, charts, and measuring tools in the Mathematics Corner. Students play with geometry, weights, and numbers, learning that mathematics is not something to be feared; it’s fun.

Heritage and Hygiene Corners

Two distinctive spaces reflect Sheikh’s holistic vision:

Heritage Corner celebrates the local culture, crafts, and tradition, which roots the students in their identity.

Hygiene Corner: Well-stocked with commodities such as soap, toothpaste, hair oil, and lotion to make sure each child learns the dignity of self-care and health awareness.

The Honesty Box

Perhaps the most poignant intervention is something called the Honesty Box, a small container that teaches a big lesson. When a student finds something that doesn’t belong to them, they put it in this box. It is a daily exercise in integrity, reminding children that character is developed not by words but by actions.

Lessons for the Larger System

What Riyaz Ahmad Sheikh has achieved in Poshnari is more than an isolated success story. It is a blueprint for educational renewal in rural India. His work shows that transformation is possible even in the most challenging settings when schools become centres of community trust, creativity, and moral learning. His model invites policymakers and educators alike to rethink schooling not as a bureaucratic function but as a living social process, where the building itself teaches, where reading corners nurture imagination, and where values like honesty and hygiene are taught by practice, not precept. Sheikh’s journey is a reminder that true reform in education does not flow top-down, from policies alone; it often begins with a single teacher’s conviction that change is possible. His story is a tribute to thousands of unsung educators who light the lamp of learning in places where hope once flickered dimly. However, this remarkable progress needs further up-gradation in infrastructure and human resources to sustain it. The institution urgently requires additional classrooms, staff support, and modern learning tools to meet the increasing enrolment and to keep up with the quality of learning so assiduously built up by Sheikh and his team. As an educator, I believe his example reinforces an enduring truth: when schools become spaces of meaning, love, and innovation, they cease to be just institutions-they become movements.

Dr. Mushtaq Rather is an Educator

The post The teacher who taught a village to dream appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Exams and tests are important, no doubt, but should be regarded only as a measure of learning. The problem lies not just with the concept of exams but also with how they are conducted. There is a wealth of information and insight about a student’s potential and ability that cannot be captured in a report card. Exams in our part of the world mainly focus on grades (the product) rather than on what is learnt (the process). Our examination system stills weighs students in terms of amount of content crammed up by the learner and vomit out in a 2-hour pen-paper traditional test. This has been the practice since decades and has produced un-employed graduates in scores who unfortunately are devoid –off requisite employability skills to fit into the bracket of demands of 21^st century skill list. NEP2020 as a policy document has given extended emphasis on formative scheme of assessment with a tag line of assessment for learning and assessment as learning which signifies that learning and assessment go hand in hand. The assessment needs to be embedded in the teaching –learning as it will provide instant feedback to the student and the teacher regarding the ongoing teaching –learning transaction and will re-align the pedagogical approach adopted by the teacher in the classroom. It is not the pedagogy that determines the nature of the assessment. It is the other way around: the pattern of assessment decides the pedagogical approach to be employed in the class room. Unless there is no paradigm shift in the assessment landscape, the obsolete pedagogy, which is deep rooted in the existing classroom culture will continue to persist. The policy document of 2020 and the national curricular frame for foundational stage (2022) and the national curricular frame work for school Education (2023) have laid down the detailed procedural guidelines on how to conduct the formative assessment. These documents have explicitly cited the tools and techniques to be employed in conducting formative assessments. These assessment tools and techniques advocate for assessing the child on varied parameters rather than merely relying on pen-paper test to strive towards the holistic development of the child.

The other side of over-hyping examination: A 2017 survey by the world Health organization (WHO) painted a concerning picture of adolescent mental health in India, revealing that nearly 35% of adolescents in the 13-17 age group experience high levels of stress . Subsequent research by the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) in 2022 found immense pressure surrounding exams and academic achievements. According to NCERT Mental Health and wellbeing of school student report, 81% students experience anxiety and stress before exams. A 2020 study by the National Statistical Organization said that one in five students in India take private coaching to meet the pressure of the exams . As per the National crime Record Bureau ( NCRB), with over 13000 student suicides in 2022, our current system primarily relying on standardized texts and fixed grading, casts a long shadow over the holistic well being of the students.

NEP 2020 and re-defined assessment scheme: NEP 2020 envisioned assessment for learning to continuously enhance teaching methods and optimize student development. A shift towards holistic assessments can help student showcase their learning through classroom performance . We must learn from the failures of the Continuous and Comprehensive Evaluation (CCE) system, which increased fear in students who struggled in certain formats of exams. Performance Assessment, Review and Analysis of Knowledge for Holistic development (PARAKH) has been introduced as a potential catalyst for change. It promotes competency –based assessment (CBA) through performance tasks, projects, portfolios and even traditional but relevant tests. It addresses the need for flexibility , comprehensive teacher training and effective communication channels in student assessment. What we need is a system that encourages children to question and learn , rather than just mug it up.

Examination driven anxiety and stress: Examinations after all are not just about academic evaluation. They are emotional events that test a student’s confidence, resilience and ability to perform under pressure. And while a little nervousness before an important test is natural – what psychologists call “ eustress” or positive stress – it becomes harmful when it starts to affect health , concentration and performance . Recognizing the signs early and addressing them with empathy is key to preventing a short phase of nervousness from turning into long-term anxiety. Exam stress rarely appears overnight . It builds up gradually , often starting with small behavioral changes-avoiding study discussions, getting distracted easily, or showing frustration over small things. When left unchecked , this can escalate to panic attacks, fatigue and even physical symptoms like nausea and chest tightness.

Way forward: One of the most overlooked sources of exam stress is comparison. In classrooms, group chats and family gatherings, students are constantly reminded of how others are performing . The result is a loss of self-confidence and an obsession with perfection. It is crucial to remind students that learning is not a race. Every individual has a different pace, learning style and ability. Focusing on personal progress rather than competing with others helps protect self esteem. Comparison, as they say is the thief of joy-and in exams, it often robs students of peace of mind. Mistakes and setbacks are part of the learning process . Students should be taught to view them not as failures but as opportunities for growth. This is what psychologists call a growth mind set –the belief that intelligence and skills can be developed through effort, persistence and feedback . When students realize that one bad grade does not define their potential , they become more resilient. Parents and teachers can reinforce this by praising effort rather than just outcomes.

Dr. Mushtaq Rather , Educator from Mattan, North Kashmir.

The post EXAMINATION: Need of a rethink appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Access to basic needs early on: A child born into poverty lacks access to adequate nutrition, healthcare and early learning, which are essential for cognitive and physical development. For example a child born in a poor rural household may suffer from malnutrition and poor school readiness, thereby limiting his long term potential.

Creates early learning and earning gaps: By age 5, differences in language, numeracy and motivation are already visible, making it harder for disadvantaged children to catch up in school and later in life. For example only 15% of pre-primary children could match basic objects and only 30% could identify larger and smaller numbers, indicating early learning gaps.

Perpetuates intergenerational poverty: Children born into poverty often remain trapped in low- opportunity environments, repeating the cycle into adulthood due to limited human capital development . Without quality early education , a poor child is far less likely to complete schooling or access skilled employment, thus continuing the poverty cycle.

India faces a critical gap in work place readiness despite producing over a crore graduates annually, highlighting the urgent need to prioritize early childhood education. Research indicates that investments in early learning yield significant returns, yet many disadvantaged children start school with weak foundations. UNESCO warns that 37% of children globally will lack basic reading skills by 2030 , underscoring an urgent need to prioritize early learning. For India , with its vast working –age population, bridging this gap is critical to harnessing its demographic dividend.

The science of early investment: Neuroscience and economics agree – the first six years shape cognitive, emotional and social capabilities of children. Nobel laureate James Heckman’s research shows that investments in early childhood programs yield the highest returns on investment –as high as 13%, driven by lasting gains manifested through improved education , health and employability .

Skills beget skills-early nurturing builds the foundation for future learning. Yet , children from disadvantaged backgrounds often enter school with limited opportunities and therefore weak foundations , perpetuating cycles of inequality . By the time they reach grade 3, many struggle to keep up , highlighting the need for early stimulation and quality care from birth for children to thrive.

NEP2020 and ECCE: The NEP 2020 has introduced significant changes in India’s educational Landscape , particularly in ECCE. Historically Government schools started admitting children only from grade 1^st, leading to inequality. The NEP 2020 aims to address this by introducing preschool classes for children aged 3-6 years in government schools, previously served by Anganwadis only. The NEP plans to universalize ECCE by 2020.The existing 14 lakh Anganwadi centres will expand the introduction of three pre-school classes ( Balvatika 1, 2 and 3) in government schools. The NEP 2020 strongly believes in avoiding schoolification and maintain play as a central element of pre-school education. The NEP 2020 has sown the seeds for a transformative change in India’s ECCE frame work, emphasizing focus, and age-appropriate care. However, successful implementation depends on addressing practical challenges and ensuring adequate resource allocation.

Role of Anganwadi centers in early childhood care education: The year 2025 marks fifty years of the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), the government of India’s largest programme for comprehensive services for children under 6 years through Anganwadis under the Ministry of Women and Child Development. This milestone calls for a renewed emphasis on strengthening Anganwadis and advancing the vision of Poshan bhi Padhai bhi. The reality, however, is the Poshan bhi domain has been taken care of by the Anganwadi centers but the Padhai bhi section has been neglected and has therefore created a learning vacuum in children enrolled in Anganwadi centers. At the very onset, this requires a systemic, long term, and well planned investment in capacity building of Anganwadi workers and helpers. Bite-sized, hands-on professional development of frontline workers, along with a network of support, can go a long way in making Anganwadi centers hubs of play, learning and nutrition for young children.

Re-designing pedagogy at the pre-primary level: The traditional pedagogical approach wouldn’t meaningfully engage the learner in the Balvatika classes. The teacher has to be versatile in innovating new pedagogical tools and deeply get connected with his learners and become centre of attraction in the classroom to ensure students remain glued to him. There is dire need of recruiting teachers with specialization in ECCE at the pre-primary level. There are innumerable success stories were in teachers have carved a niche for themselves in being versatile kindergarten educators of highest pedigree. Tariq Manzoor Khan of GMS New Colony Pulwama has made a name for himself by his innovative teaching techniques and is reckoned as a great teaching professional in teaching community.

His kindergarten class has more than 127 students. Like wise Rehanna Quassar, master of a government middle in Budgam has brought laurels to the education department of Jammu and Kashmir at the national level by bagging the best leadership award in new Delhi in 2025. She received this award for doing exemplary work in revolutionizing the kindergarten section by investing in FLN driven NIPUN Bharat initiative. Recently an NEP Conclave was held at SKICC Srinagar and the kindergarten students from her school had one on one interaction with CM Omar Abdullah. Grounded in child development theories, the approach needs to focus on planning and implementing ECCE centred around play, hands-on learning and appropriate use of teaching learning material to support child’s growth.

Way forward: UNESCO’s 2024 report emphasizes investing in high quality early interventions. While initiatives like NIPUN Bharat have brought much needed focus on foundational learning, more needs to be done to ensure that pre-school and early primary grade experiences are empowering for all children. The age band of 3 to 8 years is also critical for building children’s linguistic repertoire through multilingual education, rooted in mother tongue during the early years. Our country stands at a crossroads where strategic investments in foundational learning can unlock human potential or squander a demographic advantage. Nations prioritizing foundational education now will reap long term benefits. The science is clear the evidence is irrefutable . The seeds of tomorrow’s workforce are planted today-in Anganwadis, pre-schools and homes. The evidence from India’s classrooms lights the path forward. What is required is the collective will for action.

Dr. Mushtaq Rather, Educator,

Mattan Anantnag

The post Rethinking Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

In J&K, corporate sector is in its nascent stage and has not bloomed like it has in other parts of the country. Therefore private sector is not the first choice for our youth to seek employment. The youth primarily rely on government sector for absorption. Majority of the government departments promote their employees on the sole criteria of seniority which has severely hampered the performance of these departments. Why an employee will put an extra effort when the rationale of promoting an employee is determined by the number of in-service years rather than the professional competency.

This has seriously eroded the working efficiency of public run institutions. Performance of an employee holds no merit in his career progression. Those who perform exceedingly well in discharging their professional duties are meted with same fate as those who are professionally incompetent and fail to constructively contribute in professional capacities.

However, certain public departments have taken a lead by  introducing out of turn career progression opportunities for its employees by opting for in-line departmental examinations for the promotion of its in-service candidates. The finance department of Jammu and Kashmir has been pioneering department in this regard to value and nurture the deserving in-service candidates irrespective of age, number of in-service years. Any in-service candidate after successfully completing initial two years of probation is eligible to appear in next level departmental examination, which rightly is the only viable option to get promoted to the next level. Every employee of the finance department undergoes through rigorous preparation to ascend to the next level career ladder. He is left with no choice but to continuously update himself with the in-depth understanding of domain knowledge.

This has immensely contributed to the professional efficiency of the finance department as well to its well deserving employees. The paper is set by the Public Service Commission to ensure highest degree of impartiality in promoting employees of Finance Department to the next level. The paper is of descriptive nature and the in-service candidate has to put in strenuous effort to qualify.

Existing systemic issues vis-a-vis promotions in education department

Education department of Jammu and Kashmir is one of the largest public sector enterprise as it employs bulk of employees. Education is most sensitive sector as it nurtures the learners for real life challenges. The educational landscape has undergone a paradigm shift in 21^st century. The mere acquisition of rote–learning or hard memorization in modern era learners would land them no where. It is high time to ensure the realization of 21^st century among modern era learners: These are the skills which will define  the employment landscape in the existing century. The teacher has the central role to facilitate these skills are imbibed by the modern era learners. But are our teachers well versed with these 21^st century skills like creativity, critical thinking, collaboration and communication.

Have our teachers evolved with time? Have they done updation of their pedagogical skills by doing away with obsolete and traditional pedagogy? There is ample scope on the part of the teacher to update his learning continuum to remain relevant in the eyes of modern era learner? However, in the existing scheme of things, why a teacher will undergo fine polishing of his skills? Irrespective of his capability and performance, in a time bound manner he will get his share of promotion to next grade, yearly increment and in-situ promotion. When it comes to promotion, all the teachers: the performers and the non-performers are treated equally.

There is no mechanism in place to reward extra-ordinary teachers. This has de-motivated better performers to the core as there is no punishment for the poor performer and no reward for the better performer. Promotions in the education department are time consuming. The transition from a teacher to a master takes more than 15 years as there is huge stagnation in the department and the transition from a teacher to a lecturer is a distant dream and only a handful of teachers are elevated as lectures based on the saturation of the subject concerned.

The intervention of departmental examination to fix the promotions needs to be taken at an earliest to safeguard the career progression of teachers. This will ensure  thriving of learning atmosphere in schools as teachers will continuously strive towards professional development. Like finance department, the job to conduct departmental examinations in education department should be entrusted to JKPSC.

In-situ and next grade promotions at elementary level

At the elementary level promotions, the emphasis should to be to evaluate the in-depth understanding of the teacher on varied subject specific pedagogies, his understanding of the inclusive classroom culture, his understanding of the RPWD Act, 2016, designing of holistic progress card, nature of executing school based assessment like assessment for learning, assessment as learning and assessment of learning, classroom management, parameters of lesson plans like 4C lesson plan, 5E lesson plan, inquiry based lesson plan, professional ethics. Also the understanding of learning objectives, learning outcomes. If the teacher holds  excellent command over these domains, he will surely facilitate the actualization of 21^st century in modern era learners.

The impediment in its realization at the grassroots level is the age-old practice of seniority based promotions which has paved the way for inefficiencies to crept in and has therefore eroded the public faith and trust on government run institutions. Where there will be urgency on the part of the teacher to undo chalk and talk strategies and shift to latest trends and techniques in the realm of education. In case the promotion is exam based, the teacher is left with no choice but to update on varied parameters and this will go a long way to infuse new life in the education system .

Modus operandi for teacher to lecturer promotion

The transition from teacher to a lecturer is marred by plethora of issues. It takes decades for a teacher to get promoted to a lecturer and when he is finally elevated as a lecturer by the time he is usually at the fag end of his teaching career. He finds himself absolutely wanting in the classroom and is not able to do justice with his primary job of teaching of 11^th and 12^th class students. This issue seriously needs to be addressed. There must be  an open ended exam catering all the in-service candidates who fall in the eligibility bracket to address the transition of teachers to lecturers irrespective of seniority.

Much emphasis should be given to the content of the respective subject, pedagogical skills, understanding of information and communication tools and their integration in teaching –learning process, in-depth knowledge of  varied e-learning platforms for blended mode of learning . This will address the need of subject specific teachers at 10+2 level and will ensure the elevation of right kind of human resource to fill the gap. This will hugely impact the learners at the senior secondary level. However, the seniority factor cannot be entirely sidelined. The department can chalk out the modalities to keep certain percentage of posts reserved for seniority and elevation to the rest of the posts to be purely kept for an open ended departmental examination.

Dr. Mushtaq  Rather, Educator from Mattan, Anantnag, Kashmir.

The post Merit based promotions, way forward appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

These measures, while necessary, scratch only the surface of a deep-rooted systemic issue. The intense competition and the high stakes associated with entrance exams have escalated to a level where they compromise the mental health and well-being of children. The proliferation of coaching centers is a symptom of an examination oriented culture that prioritizes rote learning over conceptual clarity and holistic learning. Suicides throw spot light on grueling culture of cramming for entrance exams and great burden placed on students.

While I was compiling this write up, another tragic incident of self harming took place in Kota Rajasthan, the coaching capital of India and now referred as suicide city of India. Kota has been under the spotlight due to a disturbing pattern of suicides among students, especially those preparing for NEET and IIT-JEE exams. This time a budding 18 year old NEET aspirant from Anantnag took such a harsh step to end her life as she was unable to cope up with the level of stress and unjust expectations.

The point here; is what compelled her to undertake such a drastic step? Was there no one to do emotional hand-holding? Are these coaching institutes just believing in content overdosing and least prioritizing mental, emotional and social wellbeing of the child. Academic pressure, isolation, and lack of emotional support continue to pose grave challenges. This is not an isolated case and scores of aspirants have committed suicides in the past as well. This is the 15^th incident this year and second this month alone. Even Supreme Court questioned the Rajasthan government what concrete steps have been taken in response to 15 student suicides reported in 2025 alone. The apex court remarked that the issue must be taken “seriously and not lightly, urging immediate intervention”.

What is at the core of it?

The formal schooling system is increasingly paving way for coaching institutions to take centre stage and thereby struggling hard to remain relevant and firmly rooted in the eyes of 21^st century modern day learner. Although coaching institutions enroll students from all shades, but the students from senior secondary section (11^th and 12^th) are found to be in bulk as they prefer to attend coaching institutions rather than attending regular schooling. This certainly is casting a shadow on the functioning and performance of both public and private schools operating across Jammu and Kashmir.

Why I have cited private schools here: because these institutions too keep students on rolls, however, in reality the students are attending coaching institutions. It serves them two benefits: one, they get monthly tuition fee from parents of enrolled students and second, the students bring them name and fame by fetching meritorious positions. In return the student, being an indispensable partner of this symbiotic relationship too gets its due share: More than 80% attendance without even attending school for a single day. What is the point of raising it here: both are equally benefitted. what is actually wrong in this? It is actually a catastrophe in offing. The school is not only a place where black and white information is transmitted, it is the place where human lives are transformed. Where grit, resilience, compassion, empathy and more significantly humanistic emotions are nurtured for meaningful contribution in the society. Is this all being offered in a coaching institution? We need to ponder over this. What is being offered in a coaching institution for sure is the academic content and cramming and rote learning or hard memorization. Will all this suffice to transform the life of the student in 21st century? What about the acquisition of 21st century skills: Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration and Communication. The skill of rote learning is now considered as redundant and obsolete.

Schools as centers of holistic development. The ultimate aim of formal schooling system is to transform the life of child by ensuring acquisition of life defining skills. Schools are places where students engage in scholastic and non-scholastic spheres. School provides the platform to unfold the inherent capabilities hidden among children. Right from morning assembly to actively participating in debates and drawing competitions, these are effective strategies to meaningfully engage students and will go a long way in developing student’s personality. Schools need to re-imagine the way they approach education if our students are to grow into effective leaders. Instilling a sense of agency and purpose in youth who will not only aim to shape their future but also contribute to community and nation’s economic progress needs to start early . There is where schooling plays a vital role.

There are innumerable success stories of students who have done exceedingly well in the academic domain while regularly attending school and that too in medical stream. Recently a girl student from a far off habitation of Nagbal Salia Anantnag made it to headlines by securing 97% in class 11^th result in science stream without attending coaching classes, either online or offline. She has given the entire credit of her performance to the evolving school atmosphere of HSS Salia. Like her. other successful stories of academic excellence have also emerged where students have excelled by saying no to tuition. Schools besides being effective academic centers, play a vital role in shaping the life of the child.

 Dr. Mushtaq Rather, Educator from Mattan, Jammu and Kashmir

The post Why prioritise school over coaching appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

The tag line of NEP 2020 is transition from content to competencies. How the competencies will be nurtured when they are not even assessed? Nature of assessment decides the type of pedagogy to be employed by the teacher. When the assessment evaluates retention of content, obviously teacher will encourage overdosing of the content. Why the teacher will re-direct his pedagogy then? The teacher always directs his classroom teaching learning transaction to ensure his students do fairly well in the year end examinations. The acquisition of 21^st century skills will not be realized unless the teacher shifts away from traditional approaches of teaching learning: he has to shun the dry-mouthed chalk and talk pedagogical approach and embrace inclusive and newer approaches of pedagogy to let the realization of age –appropriate competencies. This wouldn’t be possible unless and until there is paradigm shift in the assessment landscape. Besides evaluating the content, other life defining skills which are pre-requisite for holistic development are to be assessed to render the assessment effective and relevant. The sad reality, however, is the assessment approach implemented in 1980s and 1990s which purely relies on pen-paper test, is still replicated. Obviously it is expected from our existing education system to generate chunk of youth with poor employability skills and will be added to the long list of unemployed youth.

Transition to Constructivism: Understanding how students absorb, process and retain information has never been more critical in an era of rapidly evolving learning environments. Traditional teaching methodologies, rooted in rote memorization and standardized assessment, often fail to engage students meaningfully. However, insights from behavioral sciences offer a fresh prospective on how learning can be optimized to create more dynamic, evolving and inclusive classroom.

The nerve center of the NEP 2020 is the National curricular frame work for school education 2023( NCFSE 2023). NCFSE 2023 revolves around constructivist approach and reckons students as co-creaters of new knowledge. There needs to be flexibility on the part of the teacher to accommodate students with diverse learning styles and create congenial learning environment to foster personalized learning which encompasses the all-round and holistic development of the learner.

Processing information: Behavioral science underscores that learning is not merely a passive transfer of information but a complex interplay of cognitive processes, emotions and environmental cues. One fundamental concept is cognitive load theory, which suggests that students have a limited capacity to process information at any given time. Overdosing learners with excessive content or poorly designed material leads to cognitive fatigue, reducing retention and comprehension. Instead segmentization of complex lessons or topics into smaller and more manageable portions improves attainment of competencies and comprehension.

Motivation as a factor in the learning process: Traditional education often relies on extrinsic motivators such as grades and rewards, but behavioral research suggests that intrinsic motivation –where students are driven by curiosity, autonomy, and collaboration yields more sustainable learning outcomes. The essence of self-determination theory explains that when students feel a sense of autonomy and flexibility in their learning, they engage in desired learning.

Innovative learning strategies: The cognitive bias where people tend to rely on immediate examples that come to mind, suggests that relatable and vivid storytelling is far more effective than abstract theories. When educators use narratives, case studies, and real life applications, students are more likely to internalize concepts. Additionally, incorporating active learning strategies, such as discussions, role playing and experiential learning leads to stronger cognitive connections than passive chalk and talk approaches. Instead of being passive consumers of knowledge, research consistently demonstrates that students learn best when actively involved.

Classroom environment: The classroom settings play a subtle but powerful role in shaping student success. Behavioral science underscores that impact of nudges – small environmental or procedural changes that influence behavior without restricting choices. For instance, structuring syllabi with clearly defined goals and providing regular formative feedback can guide students towards better academic habits. The way assessments are framed also matters: instead of high stake exams that induce anxiety, incorporating low stakes, frequent quizzes, debates, symposiums have been found to reinforce learning while reducing stress. Even the physical layout of classroom–arranging seating to encourage collaboration rather than isolation–can significantly impact student participation and engagement.

Employability skills: Beyond academic learning, behavioral science offers valuable insights into bridging the employability gap. Employers today seek job aspirants who are not only knowledgeable but also adaptable, resilient and capable of making sound decisions in uncertain circumstances. The field of decision science sheds light on how students can be trained to think critically and make better judgments. Introducing scenario based learning, where students are put in complex real world decision making situations, prepares them for professional challenges. Encourages reflection and metacognition –where students analyze their thinking patterns–can also foster better problem–solving and adaptability. The pedagogical approach must revolve around transforming students into engaged learners and critical thinkers.

Tailpiece: Social media platforms are flooded with grade cards uploaded by the relatives of the students who have performed exceedingly well in the recently declared results. Why we are still associating success to the marks or grades fetched by a student?

 Dr. Mushtaq Rather, Educator from Mattan Anantnag, J&K

The post Two sides, same coin appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

We have confined ourselves to cocoon mentality: wherefrom will the innovative solutions to the cumbersome challenges emerge ? The problems endangering our youth are localized and the solution therefore has to be local instead of expecting someone to come from the alien word to fix our problems. Participation in any type of outdoor sports activity be it cricket, football, volley ball or any other team level event does not only improve the physical endurance of the participant but very well augment his mental faculties.

The participation in team sports event infuses the sense of responsibility and skill of collaboration among the participants which in the long run can be vital in fostering the cohesive bond in society. This will truly instill resilience laced with and grit and determination among the youth and they will not easily succumb to the challenges of life.

The story of Parvez Rasool:

Parvez Rasool is a house hold name in Jammu and Kashmir in the arena of sports. He has made a mark in the gentleman’s game. He is enjoying the stardom and has a wider fan base especially the younger generation and is the most celebrated sportsperson of Jammu and Kashmir. He has represented India in One Day and T20 format of the game; an all-rounder in the domestic circuit with an impressive track record.

The emergence of Parvez Rasool is not an ordinary event. He has defied all the odds to make it to the top at a time when there was literally no infrastructure at the grossroots level and nobody would have even dared to pursue cricket as career. Parvez Rasool who comes from a small town of Bijbehara of district Anantnag turned out to be a role model not only for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir but for the entire country.

I still remember when Parvez Rasool was first time selected for Zimbabwe ODI series and when the news of his inclusion was made public by Prasun Bajpayee, then news editor of Aaj Tak while conversing with Parvez Rasool, the entire Kashmir valley erupted in joy and celebration. His elevation as a top rated cricketer inspired and motivated others to follow his foot prints and more and more success stories followed, be it the likes of Abdul Samad, Umran Malik , Rasik Salam and Vivrant Sharma.

Bijbehara Premiere League offers hope for revival

Parvez Rasool besides being a top notch professional cricketer is considered by the people a down to earth, philanthropic and easy going person who has created a niche for himself in community service. The region of South Kashmir is marred by substance abuse and the situation is slipping out of the hand as more youth are falling prey to the vicious trap of drug abuse. Why we are highlighting the success story of Parvez Rasool? He has been instrumental in motivating more and more youth towards sports.

He came up with a novel idea of Bijbehara Premier League in the year 2021 to provide an opportunity to the underprivileged and marginalized youth to showcase their talent and potential to the world and excel in their cricketing career as do the success stories of regional cricketers like Tazim Tak, Mujtaba Yousuf, Mohammad Talha reflect. Currently the fourth edition of the league is in progress. The earlier three editions were held on a turf wicket of Boys Higher Secondary Bijbehara ground and the venue now stands shifted to newly established proper cricketing ground with all amenities in place at Nilundrasu Bijbehara.

The Bijbehara Premier League has become a brand in itself and is growing in stature with each new edition.

How this Bijbehara Premier League is benefiting the younger generation? Why we are citing this sports league here? How it is transforming the lives of the youth? There is euphoria and craze among the youth regarding this cricket league. I am myself witness to the discussions, the youth seriously get involved about this cricketing carnival.

This league provides ample opportunities to the local cricketers to share their dugout with some reputed cricketers from outside Jammu and Kashmir, be it the likes of Abhisheikh Sharma, who is a regular feature of Sunrisers Hyderabad IPL franchise and team India, Vaibhav Arora, who was with Kolkata Knight Riders camp this year. Playing side by side with them will truly boost the morale and confidence of the local talent to think big. The most important contribution of this sports carnival is connecting youth and keeping the drug menace at bay as thousands of youth watch the live matches of BPL in the stands.

This truly relives the youth from mental trauma and stress as they come out of the sedentary mode of life and occupy the stands interacting with other people to have fun and laughter which acts as a super remedy to de-stress them. This is what this league is serving meaningfully to foster social cohesiveness in the region.

Besides this sporting carnival is a source of livelihood to innumerable families especially the street vendors who have established their stalls adjacent to the ground and are earning modest income to feed their families. A sincere initiative like this can truly inspire millions to transform their lives wherein they can meaningfully contribute in the society.

 Dr. Mushtaq Rather is an educator

The post Bijbehara Premier League (BPL): Transforming youth appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Nowadays, students irrespective of age or stream opt for coaching, and off late the trend is on a rise for virtual coaching. Recently a video went viral from Anantnag where in faculty from online tuition giant Physics Walla had a face to face interaction.

The event at Town Hall Anantnag witnessed mad rush of students and it was a packed house. Virtual coaching classes have  further  complicated the situation as a student hardly has to move an inch from his house to attend classes; everything seems to be on a platter.

But at the end of the day students are the ultimate sufferers as they grapple with stress and anxiety, and some, unfortunately, even end up committing suicide. These centres prepare students for competitions, but in the bargain, students miss out on personality development.

Formal schooling way better than coaching

Unfortunately, our understanding of education is one dimensional: we have confined it to acquisition of  a set of technical and academic skills which leads to the devaluation of what makes life truly meaningful and creative: say the art of relatedness, the sensitivity to nature, or the ability to integrate the brain and the heart.

The result is that what confronts our children is a highly life killing and mechanized system of education that offers nothing beyond hard memorization, exam strategies and so called success manual. Passing the exam, settling down in life as doctor, engineer, teacher, banker and trader; earning money  and nurturing the same ambition in the next generation – this seems to be the mantra of existence we ask our children to internalize.

One aspect that is positively attributed to a formal school is infusing degree of discipline and morality among students. Contrary to this, innumerable incidents of eve teasing, bullying, acid attacks are surfacing up quite often from unregulated coaching institutions. Even there is larger public discourse about the prevalence of drug hot spots and breeding ground of drug abuse around unregulated coaching institutions.

The teenagers enrolled in these institutions have been found to be vulnerable. Though there is no denying the fact that coaching institutions have certainly raised the bar of academic excellence but has unfolded daunting challenges for the society. The rising cases of suicide in coaching centres especially in ‘Kota Factory’ is a grim reminder that all is not well even in top most coaching institutions of the country.

Look at the recent incident of a girl student, who in her suicide note wrote; ‘I am sorry Mummy-Papa, for letting you down by not cracking JEE advanced,  I am a looser’. Isn’t it heart piercing for any parent aspiring to see their children excel in life.

These institutions are driven by profiteering and therefore resort to ‘Survivorship Bias Model’ where in they showcase the success stories of qualifying candidates only through life sized hoardings, ad campaigns in print and electronic media, which even further compounds the miseries of  unsuccessful ones. Instead of their hand holding and counseling, they are left at their own mercy. They feel neglected and rejected. Some are unable to cope up with the trauma and ultimately commit suicide

Conclusion

It truly is a welcome step on part of the central government that has come up with detailed and elaborative regulatory guidelines for coaching centres operating across the country to infuse a degree of accountability.

For acquisition of academic knowledge, coaching centres can certainly contribute in this regard; but to consider themselves as alternative option to formal education system is fraught with serious ramifications.

The school has a pivotal role to produce individuals with life defining skills and competencies as entire school setting is guided by well designed curriculum. On the other hand coaching institutions transform individuals into robots where they are compelled to mug up content and vomit it out verbatim.

The focus is on scoring rather than on learning. School administration has to be proactive in this regard to check and prevent dummy admissions which otherwise will render these educational  institution redundant and least penetrative.

The ball equally  lies in the court of faculty members of schools to timely complete syllabus and attend classes on regular basis with a pedagogical overhaul to fine polish and update their pedagogical skills.

Dr. Mushtaq  Rather, Educator  from Mattan Anantnag, J&K

The post Our own Kota culture appeared first on Greater Kashmir.

Issues concerning safety and security of students in and outside the school premises

(1) Corporal Punishment: Although physical violence in any form is strictly prohibited in schools across India including Jammu and Kashmir, incidents of teachers resorting to physical violence are continuously pouring in from different corners thus threatening the very survival of school going children which thereby acts as a deterrent to pursue their education, leading to increased dropout rate. Corporal punishment leads to direct and indirect physical and mental harm, increased aggression, anti-social behaviour among these children.

(2) Over-weight school bag: There is no denying the fact that digital interventions have reduced the paper work to a great extent, but a student is compelled by school authorities to carry a heavy back load daily, in the name of a school bag. It has led to increased incidences of persistent lower back and spinal deformities at such a young age. The long term back pack weight can result in spinal angulations during late adolescence stage resulting in severe deformities .

(3) Lack of requisite infrastructure: Although infrastructural expansion has experienced an upward trend in recent past but the dilapidated infrastructure is still a common sight in both government and private institutions. Unsafe roofs, narrow entrances, corridors, staircases and lack of emergency exits often contribute to untoward incidents during anthropogenic and natural calamities.

(4) Food quality: The Mid-Day-Scheme for school going children is very crucial for improving school attendance and literacy rate. However, number of disturbing incidents of school going children being hospitalized for food poisoning does recur here and there. The incident in Bihar, where 23 children lost their lives, due to suspected pesticide contamination in Mid-Day-Meals is a grim reminder.

(5) Little room for games and extra-curricular activities: Especially in private school going children, children studying in such schools hardly get an opportunity to get involved in co-curricular activities. A continuous busy schedule of regular classes, tests, tuitions and a bunch of assignments often results in scarcity of time to play or relax in between , resulting in an exhausted child with extreme stress and strain

(6) Increased incidences of substance abuse: The consumption of hard drugs by school going children like heroin has increased manifold over the years especially in our part of the world. The data recently tabled by Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment projected stark revelation on the nature of drugs being consumed in Jammu and Kashmir. As per the statistical data, Jammu and Kashmir has left behind the state of Punjab in the consumption of heroin. 90% of drugs consumed in Jammu and Kashmir are hard and synthetic opioid drugs like heroin. The students at times consume drugs for fantasy and fascination. They just do it as of means of experimentation. The experimentation leads them to be occasional user and finally they become compulsive users and get badly stuck in the vicious cycle of drug abuse and wherefrom returning back to normalcy is herculean and next to impossible mostly in case of hard substances.

(7) Screen addiction: No doubt technological tools have revolutionised the way knowledge is being disseminated and assimilated by the end user particularly by the student community. Children are increasingly becoming addictive to spending longer hours with electronic gadgets which seriously compromises with their well being. The children rather than playing meaningfully with their friends and siblings prefer a life of isolation and seclusion grossly engaged with electronic gadgets. This has seriously taken a toll on the physical and mental health of the child. Research has proven that children who remain glued to gadget screens for an extended period of time find it difficult to socialize and usually suffer from lack of creativity and critical thinking .

(8) Child sexual abuse: The horrifying incidents of child sexual abuse is a new norm. The children are subjected to varied forms of sexual abuse even at their residing places. The sexual assault cases are increasingly pouring in bulk from residential cum boarding schools as well as from day boarding schools. Findings from the Study on Child Abuse compiled by the Ministry of Women and Child Development projected that in the age group of 5-12 years,  a staggering 52 % children reported some forms of sexual abuse; of these 55% were boys . These findings are worrisome and nullify the notion that boys are safer than girls.

(9) Health related issues: The age group of 10-19 years is regarded as a relatively healthy phase of life. However, during this period, children have unique health needs and concerns that have not received adequate attention in polices and programmes. As per the Lancet Commission Report on Adolescents suicides, malnutrition, depressive disorders, tuberculosis were the top four causes for ill health among young people in our country. Approximately 54% of girls and 29% of boys in the age group of 15-19 years are anaemic in India. This is even more worrisome in our UT of Jammu and Kashmir, where 76% girls  and 68% boys are anaemic. As per the findings of National Family Health Survey, only 58% girls in the age group of 15-24 years employ hygienic methods during menstruation , rendering the other lot vulnerable and susceptible to reproductive tract infections(RTI).

Effective mitigation measures

1.To promote health and well being among school going children, a joint collaborative venture of Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) was launched by Honorable Prime Minister on 14^th of April 2018 but the implementation of the program got delayed due to sudden break out of COVID-19 and the program in our UT of Jammu and Kashmir kick started in 2023. The intervention of school and wellness of school going children is based on the health and wellness initiatives, which harmonizes diverse programmes such as Adolescence Education Programme, life skills, value education, critical thinking, collaboration with the common objective of promoting holistic development , health and wellbeing. 

2. Childhood and adolescence are critical phases of life that are developmentally primed to absorb and process new information and ideas that make it easier for them to modify their behaviour. Hence it is extremely rewarding to work with these age groups and huge public health gains can be realized by investing in them.

3. The belief to be uphold that children are a positive resource and are trusted, appreciated and respected.

4. Respond to diverse and dynamic needs of the learners at every stage of development through flexibility in terms of content, context and processes.

5. Establish an open, non-threatening and nurturing environment to facilitate joyful learning.

6. Empower the learner through participatory and non-judgmental approaches

7. Enable the learner to understand , adapt and negotiate existing and constantly changing realities.

8. Build on the learner’s experiences and provide them with opportunities to think critically , analyse and draw inferences.

9. Establishment of dedicated anti-sexual harassment cell at the institutional level.

10. Viable opportunities for students to hold structured dialogue on the issues directly concerning them.

11. Collaborative tie-up with all the relevant stake holders ; be it parents , community , media to let them realize and understand the complexities and reciprocate to needs and concerns of children in positive way.

Dr. Mushtaq  Rather, Educator and Research Scholar, from Mattan Anantnag, Kashmir.

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