New Delhi: The Private Schools Association Jammu and Kashmir has called for collective efforts to curb the practice of “dummy schools”, urging schools, coaching centres and parents to ensure students do not miss regular classes for competitive exam preparation.
Dr G N Var, founding president of the association, said formal schooling must remain central to students’ academic and personal development, and should not be treated merely as a requirement for appearing in examinations.
In a statement, Var said private schools must ensure regular attendance, effective classroom teaching and meaningful student engagement. He also urged coaching centres to conduct classes outside school hours in accordance with government guidelines.
“No student should have to choose between regular schooling and coaching, as both serve different purposes,” Var said, adding that supplementary academic support should not come at the cost of classroom learning.
He said excessive dependence on coaching could weaken foundational learning and deprive students of classroom interaction, collaborative activities and opportunities to develop confidence, discipline and critical-thinking skills.
Var also flagged the financial burden on parents arising from dummy admissions, in which students remain enrolled in schools but do not attend regular classes while pursuing coaching. Families may end up paying both school fees and coaching expenses without receiving the full benefits of formal schooling, he said.
The association President said schools, coaching centres and parents should work together to provide academic support without compromising students’ overall development. Var added that educational outcomes should be assessed beyond examination marks and ranks, with attention to independent thinking, emotional maturity and life skills.
He also said government efforts to improve the environment for private schools should be accompanied by a focus on educational quality and institutional accountability.
The association represents schools affiliated with the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education and the Central Board of Secondary Education across the Union Territory.
