Education interrupted: Kashmir students climb mountain to cross digital divide

The pandemic has interrupted access to education for young people all over the world. But in the disputed Indian-administered region of Kashmir, students have faced school closures, not just once, but twice.

In 2019, as India revoked the region’s special status and tens of thousands of troops were sent in, a curfew closed all schools in the area.

Then just as schools were beginning to reopen, in 2020 the pandemic hit, forcing millions of students to study online. A BBC investigation has discovered, throughout lockdown, students from more than 150 villages in the area have had no access to online lessons. In the remote Himalayan village of Limber, students must traverse a mountain, all in order to get access to an education.

Reporter and shoot-edit: Aamir Peerzada

Camera: Faisal H Bhat

Producers: Kinjal Pandya and Claire Press