Avinash Azad
The bureaucratic stranglehold on Jammu and Kashmir’s education system has pushed it into a state of decay, with repeated failures and mismanagement surfacing in the ongoing Assembly session.
The absence of an elected government since 2018 has allowed bureaucrats to impose their incompetence, dismantling the education system at both school and higher education levels. The government responses on Thursday to questions raised by legislators have painted a bleak picture of higher education, particularly in Ramban district. The replies to queries from Sajjad Shaheen, MLA Banihal, and Arjun Singh Raju, MLA Ramban, highlight shocking gaps in the infrastructure and staffing of higher education institutions, exposing the systemic neglect by bureaucratic machinery.
No Permanent Faculty in University of Jammu’s Satellite Campuses
Both members of the house from Ramban district, questioned the government on the lack of a satellite campus for Ramban district while other districts have been provided with such facilities. The government’s response confirmed that the University of Jammu has established 11 offsite campuses, with only seven currently operational in Bhaderwah, Kishtwar, Udhampur, Reasi, Ramnagar, Kathua, and Poonch. However, the shocking revelation remains that none of these campuses, except Bhaderwah, have permanent faculty. The Kathua campus, despite its operational status, has just 2-3 sanctioned faculty posts.
The bureaucratic failure is further evident in the fact that professors from the main Jammu University campus have been overburdened with additional responsibilities, acting as Rectors and Directors of these satellite campuses. Despite repeated concerns, the University has temporarily halted the introduction of new courses, citing a need to “strengthen existing programs”—a clear indication of stagnation due to administrative inefficiency.
Higher Education in Ramban: A Non-Existent Reality
For students in Ramban district, the response from the government was nothing short of an admission of neglect. While 50 percent of seats in Bhaderwah and Kishtwar offsite campuses are reserved for students from erstwhile Doda (which includes Ramban), there is no dedicated satellite campus for Ramban. The government vaguely stated that a committee had been formed to “assess the feasibility” of setting up an offsite campus, making it clear that no serious steps have been taken to provide higher education facilities to the district’s youth.
The delay in establishing a campus in Ramban further proves the bureaucracy’s unwillingness to act, despite repeated calls from stakeholders. It is a damning reflection of an administration that has consistently failed to prioritize education in Jammu and Kashmir.
Colleges in Shambles: No Infrastructure, No Staff
The crisis extends beyond universities to Government Degree Colleges (GDCs), where bureaucratic mismanagement has stalled development. GDC Batote, Ukhral, and Gool remain in the “development stage” in terms of infrastructure, with GDC Ukhral and GDC Batote still operating without their own buildings. GDC Gool’s building remains under construction, depriving students of basic facilities.
The repeated failures of the administration to provide essential infrastructure and faculty for these institutions further expose the hollow claims of educational reform in J&K. Despite having over six years to act, the unelected bureaucracy has done little to address these shortcomings, leaving students to suffer in substandard learning environments.
Call for Urgent Action as Public Anger Mounts
Legislators have called for urgent recruitment drives, infrastructure development, and the establishment of new campuses in neglected areas like Ramban. As the elected government takes charge after the long bureaucratic rule, it now faces the challenge of undoing years of damage inflicted upon the education system. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are no longer willing to tolerate the incompetence and negligence that have plagued their education sector. The onus is now on the newly elected representatives to take decisive action and rescue J&K’s crumbling education system from the clutches of bureaucratic inefficiency.
