Authorities in Indian-administered Kashmir have mandated that all educational institutions review books and other published materials for "inappropriate and objectionable" content. The order, issued last week, directs schools, colleges, universities, and coaching centers to screen all materials on their premises, including research papers and academic theses, for content that could violate "religious sentiments, laws, educational values and established norms."
Institutions are required to report any books deemed objectionable to the authorities. Officials state the directive is not intended to restrict reading but to remove material they deem factually inaccurate or unlawful. This includes content that "promotes, glorifies, legitimizes or justifies terrorism, violent extremism, secessionism, radicalization" or any activity prejudicial to national security.
However, opposition parties, academics, and students have criticized the move, viewing it as an infringement on academic freedom and an attempt to rewrite the region's history. Kashmir, a territory claimed by both India and Pakistan, has experienced decades of conflict. The Indian-administered side witnessed a separatist insurgency beginning in the late 1980s, which India alleges was supported by Pakistan, a claim denied by Islamabad.
Critics argue that civil liberties have been curtailed and state control has expanded since India revoked the region's semi-autonomous status in 2019 and placed it under direct federal rule, despite the subsequent restoration of an elected local government.