The state government told the Legislative Assembly on September 22 that it had screened 21.81 lakh books in college libraries since July and that the Higher Education Department had withdrawn 4,812 titles, including 518 already banned books and 4,249 that had not previously been prohibited.
Of the withdrawn titles, at least 1,752 have been referred to the Director of Colleges for expert examination, the government said.
Chief Secretary Atal Dulloo reinforced the decision, stating that any banned books have no place in government schools and describing the removal as a regular procedural step.
Kashmir’s chief cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, called the mass withdrawal "disturbing and unfortunate" and demanded that the government disclose the titles and reasons for deeming them objectionable.
The Mirwaiz warned that the move could amount to ideological regulation, undermining academic freedom, diverse perspectives and critical thinking in higher education.
Officials said the scrutiny of objectionable material is a laborious exercise that may take additional time, noting that the latest sweep follows allegations that two books supplied under the central Samagra Shiksha library grant contained inappropriate content in July.
Abdullah said the current system prevents an elected government from deciding on such matters and called for a fresh look at the practice, highlighting the broader debate over democratic governance and educational autonomy.