Srinagar, February 22 (KNO) : The Coaching Centers’ Association of Kashmir (CCAK) and Private Schools’ Association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) Friday called for joint efforts to cope up with the huge problem of forced expulsion of thousands of Kashmiri students from outside colleges calling it ‘the biggest challenge before the society’. According to KNO correspondent, the leaders of the associations addressed a presser in Srinagar.
“Around 3000 students have arrived and more are coming. It is becoming one of the biggest challenges before us. Majority of these students including girls have been humiliated, intimidated and threatened. There are cases of beatings too. At places, colleges have been forced to rusticate the students and police has been pressurized to register cases against them on frivolous charges,” said G N Var chairman PSAJK.
They said that the government lacks education policy for education in private sector. “In 1996 the then government allowed establishment of B.Ed. colleges by relaxing rules. Scores of colleges sprung up and they gradually built their infrastructure. We want government to come to the rescue and relax the rules for establishment of colleges and universities, as a one-time immediate measure. Colleges and private universities, should be allowed to operate from rented accommodations with assurance of development of infrastructure in five or 10 years. Similarly other rules be relaxed too,” said Var.
“We assure you that we will be self-sufficient in most of the courses within few years.” The Association said that outside investors are ready to invest in education institutes and even foreign universities are also eager to collaborate to establish institutes of excellence in Kashmir, if only government gives green signal.
To tackle the present situation, both the Associations have been working with Professors of KU, IUST, NIT and other institutes. In addition to it, educationists and academicians have also been roped in. “As already CCAK has offered free admission to students in various courses. According to our analysis most of the courses like BTech, BBA, MBA, BCA etc can be taught here by the faculty. The courses like MBBS and BDS need infrastructure. The students who were in the midst of coaching for competitive examinations like NEET, JET, IAS etc will also be provided free admission in coaching centres, as the arrangements have been made to accommodate them.”
Coming down heavily on the implementation of Prime Minister Special Scholarship Scheme (PMSSS) in the State, which is biased towards the educational institutes of the state, the association demanded their rules be amended.
“They give Rs 1200 crore scholarship for colleges outside J&K. Had they included local colleges in the scholarship, the students would have been safe and the local infrastructure would have also developed,” said Var. The Association threatened to boycott PMSSS from the coming session if the colleges of the State are not included in the scheme.(KNO)