Private School Approvals May Get Easier In Kashmir

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) By Syed Sammar Mehdi

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Srinagar- Private schools in Jammu and Kashmir could soon face a much shorter list of government clearances under a proposal that Education Minister Sakeena Yatoo said she would pursue in the coming Assembly session.

Yatoo said the government was considering reducing the multiple No Objection Certificates required by CBSE-type private schools to three major approvals. She acknowledged the difficulties created by the existing system and said the government wanted to remove unnecessary regulatory bottlenecks and make the approval process simpler.

The announcement came at the University of Kashmir on Wednesday during Women Edupreneurs Connect 2026, where women school leaders from different districts had gathered with policymakers, academics and senior education officials. The meeting, organised by the Private Schools Association Jammu & Kashmir, gave the NOC proposal an audience of school managers who deal with the regulatory system directly.

Yatoo told the gathering that the government was taking the issue seriously and would pursue it during the forthcoming Assembly session. She also assured women school leaders of continued government support as they strengthen and develop their institutions.

The proposal comes at a time when the government itself has been speaking about changes in the education system. Earlier this month, Yatoo said she would bring a resolution before the Assembly seeking withdrawal of the Teacher Eligibility Test for teachers in Jammu and Kashmir, while also promising action on other concerns raised by educators.

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At the university auditorium, the discussion soon moved beyond approvals and paperwork to the people running the schools.

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Prof. Nilofer Khan, vice chancellor of the University of Kashmir, praised PSAJK for creating a platform specifically for women school leaders and edupreneurs. She described the initiative as an important step toward women's empowerment, emancipation and leadership in education, and recognised the commitment of women educators involved in building institutions and educating children.

Dr. Baba Nazrul Islam, president of PSAJK, said the association wanted the gathering to become the beginning of a larger movement.

“Women Edupreneurs Connect is our humble attempt to celebrate their success, recognise their leadership and provide them with a platform where they can connect, learn, collaborate and inspire one another,” he said.

The programme brought together women education leaders for sessions on leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, early childhood education, professional management and the National Education Policy 2020.

The NOC proposal carried the clearest consequence. Yatoo has given the private-school sector an assurance and a possible route to fewer approvals. The next test comes in the Assembly, where the proposed three-clearance system must take formal shape.

Women running schools could then spend less time seeking permissions and more time running their institutions.

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