Asif Iqbal Naik
KISHTWAR
A day after Kishtwar civil society threatened to launch an agitation over the plan of Jammu University to close majority of its offshoot Campuses including Kishtwar University Campus, members of Kishtwar civil society are holding a detailed review meeting at 11 AM on Sunday at Dak Bungalow Kishtwar with regard to future course of action and to chalk out the strategy in case the need for launching an agitation will arise.
As per the details available with Kashmir Life, the Jammu University authorities have allegedly blocked the annual funds and grants to various Jammu University campuses including Kishtwar University Campus since last two years as a result of which majority of them are at the verge of collapse.
The sources said that the financial position of all the University campuses is being weakened “through a well-planned nexus” of Jammu University officials and Private colleges as due to opening of new University Campuses in Doda, Kishtwar, Reasi, Udhampur, Samba, Kathua, Rajouri and Poonch Districts of Jammu Division, the student strength in Jammu region’s private colleges has come down drastically as a result of which these private colleges have suffered massive losses.
The sources said that the private college owners allegedly gave huge commissions to the University officials through agents for securing maximum seats for running their private colleges.
“The B Ed college owners pay the highest commission among all colleges. These private colleges established huge infrastructure including hostels where hundreds of students could be adjusted. But due to opening of University Campuses like Kathua and Bhaderwah Campuses and Kishtwar B Ed college, the private colleges owners suffered massive losses in terms of profits,” sources claimed.
The sources said that in a “well-planned conspiracy” hatched at top level, the private colleges and University official “nexus” started weakening these university campuses including Kishtwar University Campus and other campuses as a result of which all the campuses other than Kathua and Bhaderwah Campuses are facing closure problem.
Bhaderwah University and Kathua University campuses had been established after following proper procedure wherein all the posts were created through proper channel while all other Campuses are non-plan Campuses subjected to availability of funds.
The sources said that funds to the tune of corers of rupees were released as well as spent on building infrastructure for these University campuses in previous government while at the same time the government “fails” to bring all these university Campuses in proper annual plan budgets.
“University officials and private college nexus in order to sabotage the functioning of these University Campuses sanctioned lesser known courses which have no trackers for these campuses,” they added.
“It is strange that instead of sanctioning of those courses taught in Kishtwar schools and colleges, Jammu University accorded sanction to those courses which lacks student interest,” said social activist Shakir Saddiqui.
He said that on one hand State and Union governments claim that they want to bring revolutionary changes in education sector by opening IIT, IIM, AIIMS, Medical Colleges, cluster universities while at the same time they fail to strengthen the already existing institutions like Kishtwar University campus and urged upon the government to look into the issue before it snowballs into major controversy.
It is pertinent to mention that in a significant development, the members of civil society in Kishtwar cutting across party lines on Friday threatened mass agitation over the “future plan” of Jammu University to “close” all the University Campuses other than Bhaderwah University Campus and Kathua Campus.
