SRINAGAR: The police in Jammu and Kashmir has moved a proposal to seek reservation and fee concession for wards of the policemen in reputed schools in militancy hotbed of south Kashmir in lieu of providing necessary training and practice to students of these schools.
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Headquarters Anantnag in a communication to principals of south Kashmir has informed them that Police Headquarters has constituted a committee with the aim to approach reputed schools for providing reservation in the classes and concession in few to the wards of police personnel in lieu of which police shall offer to provide necessary practice/training to the children in such schools on important national/school functions being celebrated during the year.
He has written to all top schools of the south Kashmir comprising Kulgam, Anantnag, Pulwama and Shopian districts and invited them for interaction with
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police south Kashmir, Amit Kumar tomorrow.
DIG Amit Kumar told New Indian Express that they would be requesting the principals of the schools during the interaction tomorrow to give preference to the wards of the policemen and officials in admissions in their schools.
He said principals of some schools have been called for interaction. “We are meeting them to request them to give preference to wards of policemen during admissions. We will talk to them and see what comes up during the interaction,” he said adding, “They won’t be talking about reservation and this is not the direction.”
Kumar said it won’t be binding on schools to give preference to wards of policemen in their schools. “We will be requesting them to give preference to wards of policemen. If they agree, it is fine and if they don’t, they don’t. How does it matter”.
“We can request for fee concession. We will talk to them and negotiate with them and if they agree, it will be OK,” he said.
However, President Kashmir Private Schools Association, G N Var termed police move as “unwarranted intervention” in working of schools.
“It is interference in education by police. Police has its own welfare fund and also its own school -Police Public School. Our schools can’t discriminate between police and civil. Child is a child and we have nothing to do whether his/her parents are civilian or from police,” he said.
Var said police is today demanding reservation for wards of policemen and tomorrow army and others may come forward and seek such favour.
“It is a direct attack on autonomy of schools and police is exceeding its jurisdiction,” he added.