J&K Higher Education Dept orders sweeping academic content audit across universities

VIKAS SHARMA

JAMMU, JULY 22:  Following the recent book row that led to the blacklisting of three authors and two publishers over publications allegedly glorifying separatists and terrorists, the Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department has ordered a comprehensive Academic and Content Audit across all universities under its administrative control, directing them to review curricula, reference books, research publications, journals, dissertations, digital repositories and all other academic resources to ensure they conform to constitutional values and are free from objectionable content.

The move follows the controversy surrounding two books published under the Samagra Shiksha Mission, after which the School Education Department banned the authors and publishers. Acting on the government order, the University of Jammu had earlier directed all its teaching departments, campuses and libraries to immediately stop procuring books authored or published by the blacklisted individuals and ordered the withdrawal of any such material from the university.

It also initiated steps to frame a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for procurement of books and academic material, including a stringent screening mechanism and periodic scrutiny to prevent objectionable content from entering the university system.

Taking the exercise further, the Higher Education Department has now introduced a Union Territory-wide framework to institutionalise academic scrutiny in all universities through Circular No. 03-JK(HE) of 2026, laying down detailed procedures for auditing academic resources and establishing a permanent review mechanism.

According to the circular, every university has been directed to undertake a one-time comprehensive Academic and Content Audit covering curricula, syllabi, prescribed and recommended reference books, journals, periodicals, dissertations, theses, research publications, digital repositories and all other academic resources available in teaching departments and libraries. The exercise will cover both physical and digital material irrespective of the year of procurement or adoption.

The department said the objective is to preserve academic excellence while strengthening institutional accountability and ensuring that academic resources remain factually authentic, legally sustainable and consistent with the Constitution of India.

While recognising the academic autonomy enjoyed by universities under the University Grants Commission framework, the circular emphasises that such autonomy must be exercised with responsibility so that teaching and research material upholds constitutional values and does not undermine national interests.

The circular categorically states that no curriculum, publication or academic resource containing factually inaccurate, misleading, distorted, inflammatory or otherwise objectionable material shall be prescribed, recommended, retained or circulated in universities.

It further prohibits any content that directly or indirectly promotes, glorifies or legitimises terrorism, violent extremism, secessionism, radicalisation, anti-national ideology or activities prejudicial to the sovereignty, unity, integrity and security of India.

To ensure effective implementation, the department has constituted a two-tier Academic and Content Review Mechanism. At the university level, each institution will establish a University Academic and Content Audit Committee under the chairmanship of the Vice-Chancellor. The committee will include the Dean Academic Affairs, Librarian, Deans of History and Political Science, and Heads of Sociology and the concerned language department.

It will review academic resources, particularly in disciplines such as history, political science, sociology, literature, languages and law, and recommend revision, replacement or withdrawal of any objectionable material.

At the Union Territory level, a Higher Education Academic Coordination and Review Committee headed by the Administrative Secretary, Higher Education Department, will monitor compliance by universities. The committee comprises Vice-Chancellors of the University of Jammu, University of Kashmir, Cluster University Jammu, Cluster University Srinagar, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University and Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, besides senior departmental officers.

It will review audit reports, address issues of wider legal or public significance and recommend policy measures for strengthening safeguards while preserving academic freedom.

The Higher Education Department has further directed that any academic material found during the audit to contain objectionable content or to be inconsistent with constitutional values, academic standards or research ethics must be withdrawn from academic use immediately and placed under safe custody pending further orders. Vice-Chancellors have been made responsible for supervising the entire exercise and ensuring strict compliance with the prescribed guidelines.

Upon completion of the audit, every university will have to submit a Certificate of Academic and Content Verification, certifying that all retained academic material complies with constitutional values and accepted academic standards and that no publication promoting terrorism, extremism, secessionism, communal disharmony or activities prejudicial to India’s sovereignty has been retained for teaching, research or reference purposes. Universities have been asked to submit their Academic and Content Audit Reports and inventories of examined material to the Higher Education Department by July 31, 2026.

The department will thereafter prepare a consolidated Union Territory Academic and Content Audit, Verification and Compliance Report. The circular also makes it clear that after completion of the present exercise, such academic audits will become an annual institutional practice across all universities in Jammu and Kashmir.