SRINAGAR (KNS) – Keeping his word with the Kashmir Private College Association, Union Minister Kapil Sibal today met a delegation of the association at New Delhi in an effort to understand the problems being faced by them.
The interaction was hosted by noted social activits, Madhu Kishwar at the Centre for Social and Developmental Studies (CSDS).
Pertinently, during his visit to Pulwama on 23 October 2012, while addressing a larger youth gathering in KCEF campus Pulwama, Sibal had invited the College association to Delhi.
According to the delegation members, the minister said that Kashmir deserves all the attention it can get from concerned citizens and policy makers because its has gone through very tough tines.
He said the Private colleges of Kashmir kept the flag of education flying even during the worst years of turmoil and that he was willing to walk extra mile to lend them a helping hand.
The KPCA delegation led by its President Prof. C L Vishen explained to the minster how the state government is trying to crunch private unaided colleges by controlling faculty appointments, centralized admission system and hegemonic behavior of DCDC of Kashmir university.
Private colleges have created a vast infrastructure but are prevented from normal functioning due to reasons best know to few people. The non local students are also discouraged by the university authorities by creating unnecessary hurdles in admission process and examination procedural methods. The use of state subject certificates in various courses have bean made mandatory by university authorities for the reasons best know to them, he told the minister.
Another Member of association Farooq Fazli told the minister that students from one district were not allowed to secure admission in another district. He emphasized that there is structural mechanism in place to discourage the private education system in valley and few people in system are trying their level best to prevent growth of private sector education. The members highlighted all structural problems threatening them to their survival of these colleges. Members also raised issue of central government scholarship being misused by few vested interested people and leading to mafia.
Minister Sibal expressed deep concern at the plight of these colleges and offered to bring the matter into PMs notice. He suggested that they should file a petition in the Supreme Court about the implementation of TMA pal judgment since they had a very strong case. Most importantly he assured to gathering that Kashmir was very dear to his heart and he was willing to do all he can not only as minister but as a concern citizen, Waheed ur Rehman told KNS.
