Overview

• Baramulla’s chief education officer issued an Oct. 4 circular directing all teaching and non-teaching staff to avoid critical posts, unwarranted debates and inappropriate content on social platforms.
• Violations may draw censure, fines up to one month’s pay, withholding of increments or promotion, demotion, recovery of losses, premature retirement or removal from service.
• The CEO said the directive followed a meeting chaired by the education department’s administrative secretary, who asked chief education officers to report any violations to fix responsibility.
• The circular permits social media use for “positive and constructive purposes” but treats interference in policy matters as a breach of earlier government instructions.
• PDP MLA Waheed Para condemned the order, posted the circular on X and demanded its withdrawal, linking it to a proposed new media policy and the widely criticised 2020 policy.