J & K Board of School Education(J&K BOSE) Losing Credibility

It is a matter of grave concern that the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (J&K BOSE) is in the news for reasons that reveal something sinister. As it has happened  apparently for the first time in the history of J&K BOSE that a  wrong question paper  was distributed among the candidates in Jammu and Kashmir. On 20th March 2024 will be remembered as a day that tarnished the image of J&K BOSE. The name of this very Board sent a message of discipline ,credibility and high examination standards. But on Wednesday an act of severe negligence on the part of the Board has made it clear that this institution is not the same as it was. In the on-going annual examination of class 12th , the Physical Examination paper was cancelled .The reason being that instead of having question paper of the 12th class Physical Education the  packets contained the  11th class question paper of Physical Education. This act of gross negligence on the part of the J & K Board has sent shock waves among the students appearing for the class 12th annual examination across the entire Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The examination of Physical Education Part II, Session Annual Regular 2024   of UTs of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh was cancelled. The new date for the examination of this paper shall be notified soon. This is a clear act of negligence and raises many questions. J&K BOSE is not an ordinary institution. It has the responsibility of holding very important examinations that screen the capability of the students at the school level. So that they are prepared to enter higher education and appear for the various professional medical and engineering examinations. J&K BOSE has been led by academicians of repute who were known for their exemplary professionalism and dedication towards the brand building of this institution. Their experience and hold over the administrative and academic matters of the Board has been matchless. But over the years there has been dilution in the professionalism of the Board. Not only the examination conduction but the academic standard has been showing  decline. The relations of the various private schools that are affiliated with J & K BOSE are also not good. There have been various demands by these institutions  that have not received the satisfactory redressal. J&K BOSE needs a total overhaul from top to bottom to do away  with the mess that has crept into its management and deliverance of the public good in terms of conduction of examination to declaration of results. Moreover, there has been a shift of students from J&K Bose to CBSE in  large numbers over the years. The reason being cited by the parents of the students is the lack of quality education and the examination set up. The onus lies on the incumbent Chairman of the J & K Board Dr. Parikshat Singh Manhas to set the house in order. It is pertinent to mention that his appointment as the Chairman J&K BOSE was made when there were senior academicians who were in the race. But their names were relegated to background and he was appointed to lead the JKBOSE. It has proven that experience and maturity matters when it comes to managing institutions like J&K BOSE. Policy makers must take a cue from the destabilisation in the school education system due to the dilution in the quality education served by the J&K BOSE under the incumbent mechanism in the Board. All appointments to such institutions like J&K BOSE must be made by weighing the pros and cons. So that the right person is placed at the right place and J&K Board’s reputation is not tarnished.