Srinagar: As many as 4,249 books have been withdrawn from circulation in colleges and libraries across Jammu and Kashmir following scrutiny of material termed “objectionable” by the Higher Education department.
The figures placed before the Legislative Assembly show a sharp regional difference in the withdrawals, with 3,996 books taken off the shelves in Kashmir, and 253 in the Jammu division.
The government said the department has so far examined 21,81,582 books and other publications as part of the scrutiny exercise. Of these, 12,48,641 were examined in Kashmir and 9,32,941 in Jammu.
The withdrawal figure does not include books already covered by formal bans.
The House was informed that 518 copies belonging to 19 titles banned under S.O. 203, dated August 5, 2025, have also been removed from circulation.
The scrutiny, however, is not over yet. The government said the exercise to identify objectionable books and other material is continuing and could take additional time, describing the process as a “laborious” one.
According to the government, the “exercise is aimed at ensuring that higher educational institutions maintain an environment conducive to learning, research and academic excellence while upholding constitutional values, critical thinking, scientific temper and responsible citizenship.”
The department has also adopted criteria for identifying material considered objectionable and for selecting books available in colleges for further scrutiny, the Assembly was informed.
