A mega event was organized by the Jammu Kashmir Private Schools Association (JKPSA) to celebrate the completion of one year of the newly elected body under the chairmanship of Kamal Gupta. Over 113 representatives from private schools across the Jammu region attended the event, marking a significant milestone for the association.
The event’s proceedings were managed by stage secretary Maitree Jain, with Gaurav Charak, Publicity Secretary, presenting a vote of thanks during the valediction ceremony. Satpal Mansotra, General Secretary of JKPSA, welcomed the gathering and presented a detailed report highlighting the challenges faced by private schools and the achievements of the association over the past year. Among the successes mentioned were the government’s recognition of schools whose approvals were pending since April 2019 to March 2023, the de-tagging of schools constructed on private land, and the formation of a government panel to address the issue of dummy admissions. The members present shared their concerns, highlighting the daily struggles they face with various educational and allied departments. Ajay Gupta, President of the association, addressed these grievances, accusing the government of attempting to undermine small private schools established in remote areas during the 1980s. He criticized government policies such as SRO 123 of 2010, SRO 292 of 2018, and recent circulars, which he argued were designed to favor CBSE and government schools at the expense of smaller private institutions.
Ajay Gupta assured the members that the association would continue to fight for reforms, advocating for an online, single-window, and time-bound system for school-related approvals. He also called for penalties on officials who delay issuing NOCs rather than imposing penalties on small private schools. He urged the association members to remain courageous in their fight against bureaucratic hurdles.
Kamal Gupta, Chairman of JKPSA, praised Ajay Gupta and his team for their dedication and resilience in addressing the challenges posed by government policies. He called on all private school owners across Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory (JKUT) to unite and strengthen Ajay Gupta’s efforts.
Prominent speakers at the event included Deepak Handa (Sr. Vice President), Kiran Raina (Vice President), Sanjeev Luthra, Lal Chand Gandotra, Rashpal Singh, Ram Prakash Sharma, Raja Shahzad, Kulwinder Singh Jamwal, Ashwini Sharma, Ankur Arora, Pradeepak Sambyal, Anil Sharma, and Kanika Sharma, among others.
