*Maximum terms of references yet to be pondered upon
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, July 18: Indicating that administrative inertia is at its peak in the department, majority of the bureaucrats of the Higher Education Department of J&K Government are unaware of the high powered Council constituted nearly three years back with varied objectives aimed at holistic evolution of higher education sector. Due to sluggishness, the maximum terms of references of this multi-department body could not be deliberated upon till date.
Vide Government Order No.1753-GAD of 2013 dated December 27, 2013 Jammu and Kashmir State Higher Education Council was constituted in supersession of Government Order No.363-HE of 2010 dated October 11, 2010 of the Higher Education Department.
Headed by Chief Minister as its Chairperson and Minister for Higher Education as Vice-Chairman, the Council is comprised of Chief Secretary, Administrative Secretaries of Planning and Development, Finance and Higher Education Departments besides Vice-Chancellors of University of Kashmir, University of Jammu, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Islamic University of Science and Technology, Awantipora, Shri Mata Vaishnodevi University, Central University of Kashmir, Central University of Jammu and eminent academicians etc.
The main objective of the Council was to suggest measures for improvement in the higher education and this was also admitted by the Government on the floor of the Legislative Assembly during the discussion on the grants of the Higher Education Department last month.
Astonishingly, majority of the concerned bureaucrats, who are supposed to be abreast with each and every activity of this high-powered body, are unaware of either constitution of J&K State Higher Education Council or activities carried out by it ever since its constitution nearly three years back. Moreover, those who are aware of Council’s formulation don’t have knowledge about its terms of references, which otherwise are of vital importance in order to bring radical changes in the higher education particularly keeping in view the changes being brought in this sector country-wise.
Fanning ignorance about existence of Council, the Director Colleges, Higher Education Department, Tariq Ahmed Kawoosa said, “I will have to check with my staff and the same is not possible keeping in view non-availability of employees in the office due to prevailing unrest”. He, at the same time, said that Joint Director Planning of the department might be having all the details vis-à-vis J&K State Higher Education Council.
Joint Director Planning of the Higher Education Department Syed Athar Hussain Qadri, when contacted, said, “I think such a Council was constituted some years back but I cannot give any details as I joined the department only last year”. When asked about any meeting of the Council held since his joining the department, he replied, “I have not heard any such meeting convened during the last over one year”.
What to talk of these two officers, even Administrative Secretary of the Higher Education Department, Hemant Sharma, when approached, expressed ignorance about existence of any such Council and its terms of references.
When his attention was drawn towards the mandate of the Council, he said, “we have already formulated State Higher Education Plan as per the requirement under Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA)”.
Ironically, preparation of Higher Education Plan is only one of the 24 terms of references of the Council and all this clearly indicates that Council has failed to achieve the objective behind its formulation. Moreover, it has come to the fore that no regular meetings of the Council have been held till date.
It is pertinent to mention here that Council has the mandate to advise for a comprehensive and holistic evolution of higher education sector; evolve new concepts and programmes in higher education; provide academic input to the Government and to the universities, research institutions and other centres of higher education in the State for formulation and implementation of the policies and evolve a perspective plan for its development; undertake independent research for the generation of new ideas for the promotion of social justice and academic excellence in higher education; undertake human resources development planning for the State; suggest improvements in curriculum and syllabi in accordance with the changing societal and academic requirements and facilitate the development and publication of appropriate teaching material including text books, educational softwares and e-learning facilities in order to improve the quality of education.
Moreover, the Council is required to review periodically the Statutes, Ordinances and Regulations of the Universities in the State and suggest appropriate improvements for the realization of the objectives of social justice and academic excellence; evolve schemes to sensitize the students to environmental and gender issues; advise improvising the standards of examinations and suggest reforms; assess the existing infrastructural facilities of the institutions and provide or cause to be provided additional facilities; encourage coordination between State Universities and other varsities of the country and abroad and work as an independent and autonomous body that would deal with the matters pertaining the State and Central Universities.
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