Srinagar, Dec 22 (KNO): After 14 years, the work on the proposed site of the Central University of Kashmir (CUK) in the Tulmulla region of Ganderbal district has been restarted, officials said.
The university continues to grapple with creating its own infrastructure for more than a decade since its inception. Even 80 percent of the varsity’s infrastructure is presently operating on a rental basis while only 20 percent is operating at Tulmulla in prefab structures.
At present, the CUK does not provide students with the facilities that are supposed to be available at the university, an official, wishing anonymity, told the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO).
He said the government acquired nearly 4,500 kanals of land from the people living around the proposed site and promised to provide employment for a family member in addition to property compensation. However, according to people, some have been provided with jobs while many are still waiting.
While those awaiting employment at the university are happy after the construction has been resumed, they have expressed apprehensions over the continuance of the work. “Given the past record, we are not sure whether this construction work will continue,” said a local whose family has provided land to the university.
These families have appealed to the authorities to speed up the construction work and fulfill the promise made to them.
The CUK, located in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, was established in March 2009 through an Act of Parliament "The Central Universities Act, 2009" by the Government of India.
According to the Act, the objective of the Central University of Kashmir is to “disseminate and advance knowledge by providing instructional and research facilities in such branches of learning as the university may deem fit”.
The Act mentions providing special arrangements for integrated courses in the humanities, social sciences, science and technology in its teaching programmes, and taking appropriate action to promote innovations in teaching-learning processes and interdisciplinary studies and research, besides educating and training the workforce of the national development.
It also calls for building linkages with industry for the promotion of science and technology, paying particular attention to the improvement of social and economic conditions and the welfare of people and their intellectual, academic, and cultural development—(KNO)