The End of Adab in Kashmiri Classrooms

Once a cornerstone of moral and intellectual growth, the teacher-student relationship in Kashmir is unraveling. What’s driving this shift, and what does it mean for the future?

- Uzma Qadir Mir

The story of a Kashmiri student walking miles barefoot, only putting on shoes at the school gate out of respect for his teacher, now sounds like a tale from a distant past.

Today, in classrooms across Kashmir, respect for teachers is slipping away, replaced by casual indifference and open defiance.

Gone are the days when students greeted teachers with reverence, standing when they entered the room and listening with humility. Instead, many students wear earphones during lessons, scroll on their phones, or speak out of turn without a second thought. The simple act of removing earphones when a teacher passes by has become rare.

This erosion of respect is not just about manners. It reflects a deeper shift in values and attitudes. Teachers, once revered as moral guides and role models, now struggle to assert authority. Some students openly challenge their teachers or dismiss their efforts as irrelevant.

Kashmiri culture traditionally held the teacher-student bond as sacred. This was more than a professional relationship — it was a moral contract.