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Inadequate Staff, ill-equipped Laboratories and deficient Libraries have become hallmarks of newly set-up Colleges in Kashmir
Hence Authorities must wake up to equip them with requisite infrastructure to meet the present and future challenges
By: Mirror News Service
Srinagar: In our first series, we have highlighted importance of Education, which enables one to go deep into unexplored areas of Nature. This concept stands understood well by Westerners who have made long strides and gained supremacy not only in the field human related sectors, but even conquered space to a great extent.
However, our State too realized need of the day and started paying attention to the quality of education and the government announced to set up 22 new Degree Colleges in different parts of the State under the Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Plan and by debit to the Grant from the Ministry of Human Resource Development. The colleges had to be established in different parts of the state which lack institutes of higher education.
But even after four years most of these Colleges are without any standard infrastructure and are operating in rented buildings without any requisite staff. The Academicians and Experts had criticized the hasty decision to establish new Colleges at a time when the already established colleges lacked proper staff and infrastructure. The decision of setting these colleges was also criticized for its political overtones as the legislators managed to seek colleges in their own constituencies irrespective of whether they deserved them or not.
These Colleges don’t have even twenty per cent infrastructure of their own. Most of them are ‘functioning’ either in rented accommodations or in tin sheds or in the premises of other government departments. The academic and even to some extent the administrative affairs of these newly established Colleges are being managed by contractual staff.
The government Degree College at Kupwara, which was established 18 years back, has only 8 lecture halls for around 2700 students.
"The Ganderbal Degree College, which was established some years back and the other newly established Colleges are in shambles. Limited Subjects, inadequate staff, ill-equipped laboratories and library facilities have become the hallmarks of these Colleges. The authorities need to wake up from slumber to change the realities towards betterment," says, Mudasir Hamid, a renowned advocate of Ganderbal District.
It is worth mentioning here that in the last Assembly session, the State government had admitted that the colleges which were setup in the State since 2002 are yet to have their own accommodation.
On the other side of spectrum, the sane voices are also expressing concern over the growing contractualism in the Higher Education System of Kashmir. They point out that there is no denying the fact that this ‘contractualism’ is eating into the very vitals of our education system.
Abdul Hamid, an Engineer said, “This phenomenon of growing contractualisim is harmful for both the student community and the contractual teachers themselves.”
The candidates who opt for contractual services have no security regarding their future prospects and thus remain in a state of chaos and confusion. Under such circumstances, they cannot contribute something positive to the system and these very students have to bear the brunt. We need to curb this negative facet to achieve desired excellence in the realms of education.
The experts and sane voices also point out to the reality that "The global experience" has made it clear that the "Higher Education" can lead to prestigious careers and high salaries. It can also broaden one's experience, exposing the students to differing points of view, critical thinking and analytical skills, as well as appreciation of the arts or diverse cultures.
From a critical view point, the growing contractualism and the abject condition of newly established colleges gives a sane Kashmiri nightmares and every sane voice urges upon the authorities to adopt remedial measures on war footing basis to stem the rot that is eating into vitals of the Higher Education System of the State.
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