Higher education in a shambles, colleges show poor enrolment

SRINAGAR: As the enrolment of students in some of the government colleges has gone down to zero and some have only been able to attract less than 150 students, the establishment of 26 new colleges by the erstwhile PDP-BJP regime on political considerations is likely to prove counterproductive for the education sector.

Samaan Lateef

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, July 14

As the enrolment of students in some of the government colleges has gone down to zero and some have only been able to attract less than 150 students, the establishment of 26 new colleges by the erstwhile PDP-BJP regime on political considerations is likely to prove counterproductive for the education sector.

Official documents reveal that Government Women College, which functions from Amar Singh College in Srinagar and Government Degree College, Bagh-e-Dilawar Khan, Srinagar, have got zero enrolment of students in the current academic session.

Only 19 students are enrolled at the Bagh-e-Dilawar Khan college and has, since its inception in 2011, never had more than 15 students on its rolls. Similarly, colleges in other districts have failed to attract students, either due to inconvenient location or lack of infrastructure.

“The creation of new colleges over the years has been aimed to widen the vote base of politicians instead of contributing to strengthening the education sector,” said officials in the Chief Secretary’s office.

While 40 of the 93 old colleges are functioning from makeshift arrangements, the PDP-BJP government in October last year, without the concurrence of the Finance Department, approved 26 new colleges, mostly in native villages of MLAs.

The new colleges, they said, had been established without keeping the topography, benefit to the majority population and feeding higher secondary schools into consideration.

“The creation of colleges had more to do with votes than education,” the officials said, adding that Degree College at Thindima in Baramulla district has been proposed at a place which is not a preferable location for most of the students.

“The Baramulla or Sopore degree colleges are near to our villages and are well established with strong student competition,” said a student, Owais Ahmad, from Kalantara in Baramulla.

Experts have suggested that the government must close down the newly created degree colleges approved through non-table agenda and some of the old ones. Instead, of establishing a college in every constituency, which do not get more than 150 students, experts say that it is better to establish hostels in old district colleges.

“Why doesn’t the government improve infrastructure at the established colleges and admit students there. That will put our students in strong competition with other students and provide them better exposure for higher studies,” said an educationist, Reyaz Ahmad.

Ahmad said someone in the government had to stand up for the education system and stop this “nonsense of opening colleges in native villages of MLAs”.

Commissioner Secretary, Higher Education, Sarita Chauhan admitted that several degree colleges established in 2011 faced shortage of students.

“The government is in the process of devising a plan of action for newly created colleges keeping in view issues such as shortage of students and location in order to make them the real places of learning,” Chauhan said.

Fail to attract students

Official documents reveal the worst enrolment of students in old degree colleges. The degree college at Marwah has 41 students, Zanaskar has 58, Nobra 72, Chattru 86, Gool 108, Dharmari 126, Mahore 129, Sarh Bagga Mahore 129, Thatri 139, Majalta 141, Kalakote 146, Hadipora 147, Jindrah 155, Banihal 294, and Budhal has 362 students.