Viral Video: Controversy has broken out in North Kashmir's Baramulla district following a viral video which purportedly showed a teacher engaged in inappropriate behaviour, leading to widespread public outrage. New Era Islamia Public Secondary School in Pattan blacklisted the highly popular edtech application Physics Wallah after the episode, excluding it from holding any future programs on its campus, as per the Kashmiriyat report.
Recently, a girl from Anantnag who claims to be in the widely shared Physics Wallah video has apologised and requested that people take her photos and videos down. “Okay, I admit I made a mistake — but they ruined my dignity. Some people say to protect a girl’s honour, not to destroy it,” she said. The woman, reportedly an online student for four years, claimed that her reputation was shattered after the clip went viral. “I even requested many influencers to delete the video, but instead, they started blackmailing me,” she alleged.
Amid the outrage, the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Anantnag, took cognisance of the matter after receiving an application from the minor, whose video was circulated online. The committee, in its official press release, stated that the video had been misinterpreted and misused on social media platforms, violating the minor’s right to privacy and amounting to abuse. It directed all social media handlers and individuals to delete the content immediately and refrain from circulating it further, warning that any violation would be dealt with under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, and other relevant laws.
As per Kashmiriyat, the viral video has sparked controversies regarding accountability and ethics in private coaching institutions. The Pattan-based institution asserted it believes in "discipline, ethics, and public trust," and shall not permit any activity that betrays student dignity.
This is not the first instance of Physics Wallah facing flak in the Valley. In 2024, the institution was under fire after another incendiary classroom video went viral. While the company wrote it off as doctored, doubts regarding supervision and training have lingered.
According to the Kashmiriyat report, Kashmir educationists are now calling for the government to institute a proper monitoring system for coaching institutions. "Uncontrolled expansion with no accountability is a threat to student well-being," one Srinagar expert said.
