Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) on Thursday has written to Chief Minister Shri Omar Abdullah, seeking his urgent intervention into the prolonged administrative, academic and institutional challenges facing Sainik School Manasbal, one of Jammu & Kashmir’s historic and prestigious residential educational institutions.
In its letter, the Association said that Sainik School Manasbal was established with a distinctive vision of nurturing discipline, leadership, character, academic excellence, physical fitness, team spirit and a spirit of service to the nation, and has played an important role in the region’s educational legacy.
The Association expressed particular concern over the reported absence of a permanent Principal for nearly five years, stating that the continued practice of assigning the Principal’s charge as an additional responsibility to officers holding other administrative positions is not conducive to the effective functioning of a specialised residential institution. At present, the Principal’s charge is reportedly being held by the Chief Education Officer, Kupwara.
National Convenor of Association Nasir Khuehami said a residential school of this nature requires dedicated leadership that is physically available on campus to oversee academic affairs, discipline, student welfare, faculty coordination, hostel administration and day-to-day institutional functioning. He said the prolonged absence of a full-time Principal could affect academic planning, administrative decision-making, student welfare and institutional continuity.
“A prestigious residential institution of this nature cannot be expected to achieve its full potential when its principalship remains under prolonged additional-charge arrangements. Sainik School Manasbal requires stable, dedicated and accountable leadership capable of providing institutional direction and restoring confidence among students, parents, faculty and alumni,” he said.
The Association urged the Government to appoint a permanent Principal at the earliest, preferably a suitably qualified and experienced retired Army officer with appropriate educational and administrative credentials, considering the institution’s specialised military ethos, residential environment and leadership-oriented educational model.
However, JKSA said the issue of leadership should be addressed as part of a broader institutional review covering academic performance, faculty strength, student enrolment and retention, residential facilities, sports and physical training, medical and mess facilities, counselling, career guidance, and preparation for the National Defence Academy, civil services and other competitive examinations.
Khuehami also flagged the reported decline in student enrolment, shortage of permanent faculty and falling CBSE performance, noting that the school currently has around 350 students against an intake capacity of approximately 480. It urged the Government to examine the reasons for student attrition, fill vacant teaching posts through regular recruitment and strengthen academic support, stressing that timely intervention is needed to address these structural concerns.
The Association stressed the need to restore Sainik School Manasbal as a leading centre of academic excellence, discipline, leadership, physical fitness and national service, while also modernising its academic, residential and student-support systems.
“Sainik School Manasbal has served generations of students and remains an important part of Jammu & Kashmir’s educational legacy. We must preserve its character, strengthen its academic foundations and modernise its institutional ecosystem. The present challenges should be treated as an opportunity to rebuild and improve the institution rather than allowing temporary administrative arrangements to become permanent features of its functioning,” the Association said.
Khuehami urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to personally intervene and direct the concerned authorities to appoint a permanent Principal; provide the institution with dedicated leadership; fill vacant teaching positions through regular recruitment; examine the reasons for declining enrolment and student attrition; assess the reported decline in academic performance; strengthen student welfare and grievance-redressal mechanisms; and undertake a comprehensive institutional revival and modernisation exercise.
