Govt colleges in remote areas offer only arts courses

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 3

In an era of science and technology, students of government degree colleges in remote and far-flung areas of Jammu and Kashmir are being taught only arts subject. Established about 10 years ago, the colleges are yet to introduce science and commerce subjects.

The government deserves the blame for depriving the students belonging to rural areas of couses in science subjects as it has failed to provide the necessary infrastructure, the teaching faculty and other facilities in these institutions.

Consequently, students, including girls, are being forced to move out of their native places and stay in rented accommodation in cities and towns to pursue studies in science and commerce subjects. This has resulted in overcrowding and extra burden at colleges in cities and towns as well.

The irony is that the strength of institutions in remote and far-flung areas is poor. Some of these colleges have 50 students or less. The reason is that most students, despite hardships, prefer to take admission at colleges in cities and towns.

Nearly 40 new government degree colleges had been opened in Jammu and Kashmir since 2008, but the Higher Education Department failed to introduce science and commerce subjects at the institutions. These streams have a larger demand.

Currently, there are 95 government degree colleges, including 12 for women, functional across Jammu and Kashmir. At least 45 degree colleges established during the last 10 years do not have basic infrastructure like permanent land and building, regular faculty, non-gazetted staff and other facilities.

Most of these degree colleges are functioning from makeshift accommodation, rented buildings or government highersecondary schools.

“The Higher Education Department allotted the science stream for the college, but we could not introduce it due to non-availability of sufficient space. The college is being run from the Government Higher Secondary School for Boys. We require laboratories to introduce the science stream,” said Dr Anil Gupta, Principal, Government Degree College, Banihal, Ramban district.

He said the construction of the college building was in progress. He said students aspiring to pursue studies in science subjects either took admission in the college at Ramban, 40 km from Banihal, or in Kulgam or Anantnag in Kashmir division.

Prof Subash Chander Sharma, Principal, Government Degree College, Kalakote, Rajouri district, said, “The college, established in 2011, still does not have its own building as the land acquisition process for a permanent structure has not been completed. We are able to offer only arts subjects. Students intending to take admission in courses with science subjects move to Rajouri or Jammu.”

Dr Athar Hussain, Principal of the Chattroo college in Kishtwar district, established in 2008, said, “We are offering only eight subjects in the arts stream and the college has not introduced science and commercesubjects. The college isstill being run from temporary accommodation.”

A senior officer of the Higher Education Department said shortage of funds and technical glitches in acquiring land for new degree colleges had caused the problem in introducing new subjects.

“We intend to equip the degree colleges with all necessary infrastructure facilities, including buildings, laboratories and libraries, to make those fully functional,” he said. Naeem Akhter, Minister for Higher Education, was not available for comment.