The development of modern education in Jammu and Kashmir during the Dogra period (1846–1947) represented a significant process of social, political, and intellectual transformation.

Before the establishment of Dogra rule, educational institutions in the region were predominantly traditional and religious in nature, operating through indigenous systems such as Pathshalas, Gurukuls, Maktabs, and Madrasas. The establishment of the Dogra dynasty in 1846 initiated a gradual process of educational modernization influenced by British educational policies, indigenous administrative requirements, missionary activities, and social reform movements. The Dogra rulers, particularly Maharaja Ranbir Singh, Maharaja Pratap Singh, and Maharaja Hari Singh, introduced educational reforms that contributed significantly to the development of primary, secondary, collegiate, and technical education. This research paper examines the evolution of modern education in Jammu and Kashmir under the Dogra administration and analyses its contribution to the modernization of society and administration. The study argues that despite financial constraints, social conservatism, and regional disparities, the educational policies of the Dogra rulers laid the institutional foundations of the modern educational system in Jammu and Kashmir.