Jammu University Blacklists Authors, Publishers; Orders Library Audit After Book Row

JAMMU, July 15: The University of Jammu has blacklisted three authors and two publishers, ordered the withdrawal of their publications from all departments and libraries, and initiated a comprehensive audit of its academic repositories following the controversy over the book Personalities and Legends of J&K, which allegedly glorified separatists and anti-national elements. GeographicReference The action follows Government Order No. 257-JK(Edu) of 2026, issued by the School Education Department on July 4, directing educational institutions across Jammu and Kashmir to ban the identified authors and publishers and remove their publications. According to an official university circular, the blacklisted authors are Hilal Ahmad, Santosh Meena, and Dr. Sushant Giri, while the banned publishers are Oberoi Book Service, Jammu, and Anurag Prakashan, Delhi. The circular, addressed to all Rectors, Directors, Heads of Teaching Departments and the In-charge Librarian of Dhanvantri Library, directs departments to ensure that no books or printed material from the listed authors or publishers are procured in the future. It also mandates the identification and removal of any such material from offices, libraries and digital repositories. To strengthen oversight, the University has instructed all academic units to establish a screening mechanism through their Departmental Advisory Committees (DACs) to prevent the procurement of books, journals or other publications containing anti-national, separatist or otherwise objectionable content. A comprehensive audit of libraries, offices and digital repositories has also been ordered, with departments required to submit compliance reports after completing the verification process. University sources said a committee will soon be constituted to frame a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the procurement of books and academic material. The proposed SOP will include stringent screening measures and periodic random scrutiny of publications by a panel of academicians. The University’s decision comes amid an ongoing investigation by the Jammu and Kashmir Police into the controversial publication Personalities and Legends of J&K. The Counter Intelligence (CID) wing has arrested three persons in connection with the case, including Jammu-based publisher Inderpal, Delhi-based printer Amardeep Singh, and Girish Arora, who allegedly supplied the content for the book. The CID has registered an FIR and is probing allegations that the publication glorified terrorists and separatist figures. Searches have also been conducted in Jammu and Noida as part of the investigation. GeographicReference Separately, the Directorate of School Education, Jammu, has directed all government and private schools, as well as coaching institutions, to review books available in classrooms, staff rooms, offices and libraries to ensure they do not contain objectionable material. The controversy earlier prompted Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to suspend eight School Education Department officials, remove a contractual employee and order an inquiry into two books flagged by the administration for containing highly inappropriate content. The issue also drew criticism from the BJP, Congress, J&K People’s Forum and several other political and social organisations.