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| State may claim to have more colleges than bakeries | | |
Nirbhay Jammual
Jammu,August 29:-Time is not far behind when Jammu and Kashmir state can claim to have more colleges and polytechincs than the bakery shops.The Government had opened about 40 colleges during the last six years.The centre has given sanction for opening 11 new degree colleges and 18 polytechnics in the state.Not a bad idea for promoting facilities for higher education in remote and hilly areas.In view of the geographical contours of the state,where travel from one area to the other is an ordeal,there is need for setting up more institutions for higher education.It cannot be disputed but what is disputable is the way the Government has been simply trying to seek sanction from the centre for more colleges without being able to ensure development of basic infrastructure.During the last six years about 40 colleges were added to a long list of institutions of higher education but even today most of these colleges lack basic infrastructure in the shape of
proper buildings,laboratories
and libraries.The Minister for Higher Education,Abdul Gani Malik,is right when he told the Assembly that a degree college set up in Tral,20 years ago,had no infrastructure for imparting science and commerce courses to the students.He said that those interested in pursuing science or commerce courses were either travelling to Srinagar or to Anantnag for admission in the degree colleges.Mark the fate of the system of education in Government schools.As a result of weak,at places missing,infrastructure the pass percntage has remained very poor when compared to the pass percentage in private schools.Why so ?In the Government schools the shape of buildings,laboratories and libraries is pathetic.Besides this the paucity of staff and the usual practice of playing truant by the teachers contribute to deteriorating system.This cannot hold in private schools.The private schools continue to grow at a faster speed and parents prefer sending their wards to
the private schools despite the fact that these schools are money minting institutions.For parents the future of their wards in the main concern and so long their children receive better teaching lessons parents will not mind paying through their nose.As such the Government should have first developed the basic infrastructure in the colleges that were opened during the last six years and then it should have concentrated on opening of 11 more colleges.Now that the state Government has accepted the challenges it needs to move fast.The first thing the Department of Education needs is higher financial allocations which will enable it to spend more on construction of buildings,laboratoris and libraries.The Government cannot go step by step because opening of colleges and polytechnics is an exercise which is totally different from construction of roads or drains.Whenever polytechnics are opened students have to work in laboratories and workshops for which
required facilities have to be developed before opening the institutes for admission.It is not being done.A small building is constructed and students are admitted in the college where there are no facilities.In view of the geographical contours of the state the Government cannot but go in for opening of more colleges.If they do not those keen to go for higher education have to either give up their plan or face ordeals by travelling long distances for attending the colleges.When Mufti Sayeed headed the Government 22 new colleges were opened and the then Education Minister,Harsh Dev Singh,ensured that all these colleges received Rs.3.50 crores for developing the facilities.This practices was not adopted for all the 14 degree colleges opened during the time Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Chief Minister.
Well the way the Government handles the issue is a sad commentary on the working style of the education Ministry.Even after weeks of the decision to open 11 degree colleges and 18 polytechnics the Government is yet to identify the spots where the buildings for the proposed institutions are to be built.Abandon lethargy and indecision and adopt precision and speed.(eom)
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