State bureaucracy seems to be in the habit of complicating one or the other issue related to the interests of the people of Jammu region so as to give them the cause of complaining of discriminatory treatment. We do not feel happy to rake up the issue of discrimination against Jammu time and again because it does not help the State towards national integration. But when the administration advertently or inadvertently behaves in a manner that is symptomatic of discrimination, one cannot but raise the voice and implore the authorities to be fair to all sections of society and regions of the State. We understand that discrimination against one or the other region is not the policy of the Government but the trouble lies with the bureaucracy which has become incorrigible.
We have a case in point. In 2012, Kashmir University approved the scheme of Lateral Entry of Diploma holder of Kashmir University affiliated Engineering Colleges for degree course in engineering in Government Engineering College Srinagar. The All India Council of Technical Education, the apex body in the country authorized to handle technical issue, approved the scheme and Lateral Entry scheme was given a nod by the State Department of Higher Education. With that, eligible candidates who had already secured diploma were admitted in Srinagar College of Engineering. Two years later Jammu University affiliated Engineering Colleges also demanded that Lateral Entry be recognized on the basis of what had been approved in the valley. The University of Jammu approved the scheme and so did the Government College of Engineering and Technology (GCET) Jammu, which is Nodal Engineering College here, for formulation of norms to conduct admissions under the scheme. Principal GCET, who is Dean Engineering, further forwarded the JU proposal to the Department of Higher Education in August last for a formal Government permission in this regard. It is more than one year the Department of Higher Education is unable to accept or reject the proposal and the file is gathering dust in that office. Jammu diploma holders have already lost one year and the final date for admission to III Semester is round the corner. In absence of approval by the Higher Education Department, the prospective students are likely to lose the chance of admission this year also and that will force them to go outside the State and find institutions where they will get admission.
Several questions can be asked. Why did not the Department of Higher Education include Jammu region also in the policy decision when Lateral Entry provision was approved for the students of Kashmir? If there are any technical hitches, why does not the Department concerned remove these and ensure career making effort of Jammu students? When All India Council of Technical Education, the apex body governing norms for the Technical institutions in India, has approved 20 per cent supernumerary seats for admission to the students for the Jammu and Kashmir with diploma in Engineering, what hesitation does the Higher Education Department have in approving the Lateral Entry for Jammu students? The Higher Education Department shall have to answer these questions.
If this is not discrimination, what other name should be given to it? This is forcing Jammu students either to seek admission outside the State or to abandon their aspiration of obtaining bachelor’s degree in engineering. In either case it is blatant discrimination.
We strongly implore the Higher Education Department authorities to behave in very responsible way in meting out equitable treatment to all regions and students of the State.
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