The Impact of Forced Migration on Educational Outcomes of Kashmiri Pandit Children

This study examines the long-term educational impacts of the forced migration of Kashmiri Pandit children following the insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir in the early 1990s. Drawing on qualitative data through indepth interviews, oral histories, and policy document analysis, and guided by thematic analysis and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Theory, this paper identifies key factors shaping educational outcomes— namely displacement trauma, institutional response, socioeconomic adjustment, and community resilience. The findings reveal a paradox of adversity and achievement, where community emphasis on education mitigated systemic deficits but left enduring emotional and academic scars. The study contributes to global discourses on education in displacement contexts and proposes policy recommendations rooted in trauma-informed and culturally responsive frameworks.