The Jammu and Kashmir government has scrutinised more than 21.8 lakh books and publications as part of a major exercise to identify and remove material containing what it describes as “objectionable and anti-national content”. The government has so far withdrawn 4,767 books from libraries and public institutions following the review.

The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Tuesday stated this in response to a question raised by independent MLA Sheikh Khursheed Ahmad. According to the Higher Education Department, a total of 21,81,582 books and publications have been examined so far. The scrutiny of more books is still underway and may take additional time to complete.

The department has also referred 1,752 books to the Director, Colleges J&K for expert examination. The government said it has adopted clear and “objective criteria” to identify objectionable material. According to the Higher Education Department, “the purpose of the exercise is to ensure that higher-education institutions foster an environment based on constitutional values, academic freedom, critical thinking, scientific temper and responsible citizenship.”

Sheikh Khursheed criticised the action against books and literature. "It's a crackdown on knowledge. They are not just erasing our memory; they are now banning our books. They are trying to erase whatever is written about Kashmir," Sheikh Khursheed, MLA of Langate.

The MLA said removing books from libraries and educational institutions could distort the region’s history under the stated aim of controlling anti-national content.

The scrutiny drive began after Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted raids at bookstores and libraries in February 2025. Police seized 668 books from bookstores in Srinagar and alleged that the publications were being distributed to promote the ideology of the banned Jama'at-e-Islami.

In August 2025, the Jammu and Kashmir Home Department declared 25 books forfeited. It also prohibited their publication, circulation and sale in the Union Territory. The government accused the books of promoting secessionism. The list included works by AG Noorani, Arundhati Roy, Christopher Snedden and Sumatra Bose.

The government later expanded the scrutiny following a controversy involving two books supplied to government schools. The books, titled Personalities and Legends of Jammu and Kashmir and Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir, mentioned separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Maqbool and Masrat Alam.

The administration ordered a probe into the matter and suspended eight officials from the Education Department. The controversy was followed by a wider audit ordered by the Higher Education Department covering books and literature held in colleges and publicly funded libraries across Jammu and Kashmir.