Bilal Bashir Bhat
Schools, whether government or private, are supposed to symbolize equality. Uniforms erase visible differences, fee structures are standardized, and classrooms are designed to transcend caste, creed, or background. With the introduction of the National Education Policy (NEP), which emphasizes vocational training and skill-based learning, there is hope for a brighter and more inclusive future for our students.
But in in our part of the world called Kashmir, beneath this surface of uniformity, a silent and dangerous discrimination is taking root, particularly in most private schools. The problem is not about academics, but about how schools choose to showcase their students. Time and again, the spotlight falls on the same handful of children, those related to teachers, administrators, or families who share personal ties with the school management. When it comes to cultural events, competitions, or even something as trivial as shooting a social media reel, the deserving are ignored, while the “well-connected” are given the stage.
This favoritism is not harmless. In today’s age, where schools are more concerned with Instagram reels and YouTube clips than with genuine learning, being featured in school activities has become a marker of recognition and encouragement. For Kashmiri students who are already battling limited opportunities, exclusion from these spaces is a deep psychological setback. It silently tells them that no matter their talent or hard work, what truly matters is whether their parents have “links” with the principal or staff.
Parents, meanwhile, are trapped. They see, they feel and they observe the discrimination, the unspoken pain of their children, but they dare not speak up. The fear is real raising a voice might mean their child faces even harsher treatment within the school. This silence has allowed the rot to grow unchecked.
Such practices are not minor lapses; they are a betrayal of the very purpose of education. Schools that indulge in this favoritism are not just undermining equality, they are actively damaging the self-esteem and future of Kashmir’s children. At a time when our youth need empowerment and encouragement, our schools are instead teaching them that privilege outweighs merit.
This must end. Education authorities in Jammu and Kashmir must take notice and frame strict regulations against such discriminatory practices. Schools found guilty should be named publicly and held accountable. Transparency in student participation, whether in classrooms, events, or promotional activities, must be enforced as a matter of law.
Kashmir cannot afford an education system where social connections decide opportunities. If schools continue to be platforms of favoritism instead of merit, we risk crushing the very spirit of fairness that education is supposed to nurture. Our children deserve better, and it is time we demanded it.
