Empty Government Schools, Crowded Private Classes

Credit By: RIYAN ASGAR

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• 08 Apr 2026

Are Private Schools Really Better Than Government Schools in Kashmir?

For ordinary parents in the Valley, the choice between a private and a government school is no longer just about fees; it has become a judgment on their child’s future. From Srinagar’s crowded private classrooms to half‑empty government schools in rural Kupwara and Kulgam, the contrast is striking. Yet, when we look closely at data and ground realities, the story is more complex than the popular belief that “private is always better”.

On paper, government schools in Jammu and Kashmir actually enjoy a more favourable pupil–teacher ratio than private institutions. Official UDISE+ statistics show that J&K has a relatively low number of students per teacher compared to many other states, and audits note that government schools often have fewer students per teacher than private schools in the Union Territory. In the Valley’s rural pockets, reports have highlighted extreme cases where there are four teachers for fewer than ten students in a government primary school.

In contrast, popular private schools in Srinagar and major towns routinely run large sections to maximise fee income and satisfy high demand. Urban parents quietly accept cramped classrooms because they believe there is more discipline, more homework, and more accountability. The paradox is clear: government schools sometimes have the “better” ratio, but private schools manage to project an image of better teaching.

The sharpest visible difference lies in infrastructure. Many government schools in Kashmir still operate from old, dilapidated or even rented buildings. Surveys of school facilities in J&K have repeatedly shown gaps in basic amenities such as boundary walls, functional toilets, especially for girls, libraries, laboratories and sports facilities. In winter, the reality of poorly heated, poorly insulated classrooms can turn schooling into an endurance test rather than a learning experience.

The government has, to its credit, initiated a push to upgrade infrastructure, set up ICT labs and convert some schools into so‑called “smart” classrooms. Recent policy notes speak of improved digital literacy and better electricity coverage in government schools. But on the ground, the change is uneven: a few model schools showcase modern facilities, while a long tail of institutions still struggle with leaking roofs and broken furniture.

Private schools, particularly the well‑known ones in the Valley, have capitalised on this gap. Purpose‑built buildings, smart boards, computer labs, transport and attractive campuses send a powerful message to parents that this is what “quality education” looks like. However, that image hides another reality: a growing number of low‑fee private schools in smaller towns and villages operate from cramped, rented spaces with infrastructure little better than the neighbourhood government school. Here, the difference is not in the building, but in the perception.

Learning outcomes are where the debate becomes most sensitive. Across India, independent assessments have consistently found that children in private schools perform better in basic reading and arithmetic than those in government schools, even when some family background factors are taken into account. J&K broadly follows this pattern. Board examination results and local reportage regularly highlight higher pass percentages and more distinctions in prominent private schools in the Valley, reinforcing the public belief that private education delivers better results.

Government schools, meanwhile, are associated with weak foundational skills, irregular classroom processes and poor monitoring. Reports from Kashmir speak of children reaching upper primary without being able to read fluently or do basic division, coupled with a worrying dropout or non‑transition rate after secondary level. Many families quietly move their children to private schools or coaching centres as soon as they can afford it, or when examination pressure begins to mount.

Yet it would be unfair – and dangerous – to conclude that government schools are incapable of delivering quality. When government or central schools in the region receive adequate support, consistent teachers and strong leadership, they can and do match or outperform private institutions. The performance of centrally run schools and some model government schools, as well as Army Goodwill Schools in J&K, shows that with the right inputs, public schooling can be excellent.

The core problem is therefore not simply “government versus private”, but how we have allowed a two‑tier system to harden in the Valley. The children of better‑off families crowd into private schools and coaching centres; the poorest are left to navigate an under‑resourced government system. In effect, we risk turning schooling into a mirror of our social and economic inequality.

If we truly care about educational justice in Kashmir, we cannot be satisfied with a model where only those who can pay get access to good teaching and decent buildings. The task for policymakers is not to crush private initiative, but to ensure that every government school is good enough that even a middle‑class parent would not be ashamed to enrol their child there. That means urgent investment in infrastructure, strict monitoring of teacher attendance and classroom practices, and a relentless focus on basic reading, writing and arithmetic in the early grades.

For society at large, the challenge is to stop treating government schools as someone else’s problem. They are, in fact, the backbone of education for our most vulnerable children. A Valley that prides itself on scholarship and culture cannot afford an education system divided by income. Strengthening public schools is not charity; it is a necessary investment in Kashmir’s collective future.

(The Author is a postdoc fellow, educationist and public speaker)