Degree Colleges

Five years ago, the then Government announced, of course with usual élan, that no fewer than 22 new degree colleges have been approved for the entire State in next plan. More tempting part of the announcement was that these new colleges would be opened in far off places in various districts in all the three regions where students have difficulties in moving to the cities for getting higher education. Places like Nobra, Zanskar in Ladakh, Sunderbani and Kalakote in Rajouri district, Gool in Ramban and Mahore in Reasi districts are among the rural areas far from the main cities. It is but natural that people in these far flung places were excited that their children can continue their higher education and will not have to cut short their educational career for want of college and related facilities.
But their excitement and their expectations both are belied by the Government taking not a single step for construction of buildings for these colleges.  Five years have gone by when the announcement was made for the first time and ever since not a single brick has been laid in respect of many colleges that would convince us that the construction work is in progress. Except for one or two proposed degree colleges, in the case of rest of them the Government has not even moved forward on the issue of acquisition of land. In some cases while money has already been transferred to the Deputy Commissioner of the district, not a spade has been struck in the soil. If five years are not sufficient for the initial step of building the college, and the time is needed for acquiring the land only, then one can say that raising a degree college is a matter for decades at end. The fact of the matter is that five years ago when the then Government made the pompous announcement to bring about drastic reformation in the educational system of the State, people were simply bemused how come the Government  was in a sound position to make such a lavish promise to the voters. Conservative thinking had doubted the then Government’s bombast from the very first day. They doubted whether the Government had the capacity and the will to undertake such a mega project. Many commentators at that time considered it only a stunt to keep the people guessing when the Government would be seen on the roadside moving with the road rollers and other heavy road building equipment. That was not to happen and the people had to remain content with the hard and almost deprived life as they are living.
At present the contemplated colleges are functioning from rented accommodation. The rents, obviously, are exorbitant but the Education Department has to bear it till a time when these colleges will have their own structures. How much time that may take is anybody’s guess?

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