Examiner Bureau | Ramban:
The Chief Education Officer (CEO), Ramban, has placed the entire staff of Government Middle School (GMS), Krawah, Zone Banihal, under suspension after a student was reportedly found locked inside the school premises for several hours, prompting the authorities to order a high-level inquiry into the incident.
According to an official order issued by the CEO, the incident occurred on July 4, 2026, when a student was allegedly found locked inside the school building at around 8:00 pm, several hours after the school had closed and just before the commencement of the summer vacation.
The order describes the incident as a case of prima facie gross negligence and dereliction of duty on the part of the officials responsible for the safety and supervision of students. It states that the lapse had the potential to endanger the life and safety of the child.
Pending the outcome of the inquiry, all employees of Government Middle School, Krawah, have been placed under suspension with immediate effect under Rule 31 of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1956. During the suspension period, the employees will remain attached to the same school until further orders.
To investigate the incident, the CEO has constituted a three-member inquiry committee comprising the Principal, Higher Secondary School (Girls) Banihal, as Chairperson, the Zonal Education Officer, Banihal, and the Headmaster of High School Bankoot.
The committee has been directed to conduct a thorough and impartial inquiry into the circumstances leading to the incident, fix responsibility for the lapse, and submit a detailed report along with its recommendations to the CEO’s office within three days.
The action, according to the order, has been taken to ensure accountability and reinforce student safety across educational institutions in the district.
Meanwhile, to ensure that academic activities continue without disruption, the Education Department has posted five teachers, the Head of the Institution (HoI), two NYCs, and one Physical Education Teacher (PET) to Government Middle School, Krawah.
