Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education (JKBOSE) has drawn criticism after a viral video exposed errors in a Class 10 textbook, Disaster Management and Road Safety Education.
The book mistakenly replaces the word “state” with “UT” in multiple places, leading to absurd phrases such as “unconsciousness and fainting is a UT of the human body.”
The mistake has sparked outrage among students, teachers, and political leaders. Former JK education minister Naeem Akhtar slammed the board, calling it a “hub of mismanagement.” He pointed out that even phrases like “state of mind” were changed to “UT of mind,” making a mockery of the language. Social media users reacted with sarcasm, calling the situation a “UT of shock.”
The blunder comes at a time when Kashmir is already facing a severe textbook shortage due to the academic calendar shift. Critics have questioned the editorial board’s failure to proofread the material before publication. The board, however, has defended itself, claiming that an updated version of the book, free of errors, is available in the market.
Amid the backlash, JKBOSE removed the faulty textbook’s PDF version from its website and urged the public not to discuss such issues on social media, stating that it could “malign” the board’s image. However, the incident has raised serious concerns over the quality of education in J&K, with many demanding stricter oversight in textbook development.
