Reopen schools and protect them, High Court tells Mehbooba Govt

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir High Court has directed the state government to reopen schools across the Kashmir Valley immediately and ensure the safety of their infrastructure, following mysterious incidents of burning of schools.

The court asked the Chief Secretary, Director-General of Police and Education Director to submit a report on the issue on November 7. The J&K government is investigating the issue of burning of schools and has decided to hold the board examination of Class 10 and Class 12 in mid-November.

Students and civil society members have protested the move and had asked for rescheduling the examinations till next March. The board examinations to schools that experience severe winter is held before the year end normally.

“The responsibility of the state is to keep institutions open, then it is the responsibility of citizens to avail benefit of the same… the authorities cannot say that they have difficulty in protecting school building,” the court observed.