J&K witnesses ‘closure’ of nearly 4400 Govt schools

31 December 2024

EDUCATION YEAR-ENDER

By: Riyaz Bhat

Srinagar: In Jammu and Kashmir, the School and Higher Education departments in the academic year 2024 underwent many loopholes and developments.

The academic year on one hand exhibits development in school student enrolment by 1.2 Lakh and subsequently witnessed closure of nearly 4400 government run schools—owing to ‘zero or extremely low’ enrollment of students.

Similarly, the higher education department was drafting a ‘Private University Policy’ for establishment of Pvt Universities but the government degree colleges faced a decline trend in student enrollment.

School Education Deptt:

Till May-2024, nearly 4400 government run schools were closed in JK owing to ‘zero or extremely low’ enrollment of students.

The official documents reveal that there were a total of 23,117 government run schools in Jammu and Kashmir out of which 4394 have been deleted from the UDISE data.

The officials say that the count of overall public schools in Jammu and Kashmir reduced because “There were some government schools that were having zero or extremely low students enrollment. Those schools were merged with the nearby public schools.”

Stating the statistics of private and other schools, the official figures reveal that there were a total of 5688 such educational institutes out of which only 5555 schools were functional as of now.

Academic session up to 9th standard restored to Nov-Dec from

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said that the government has decided to restore the academic session up to 9th standard to November-December instead of March session.

Omar had further said, “For a long time especially from the winter zones of Jammu and Kashmir divisions, the parents as well as students were demanding to restore the schedule of exams to November-December session instead of March.”

“Now, the schedule of the exams for all classes upto 9th standard will be held as per previous scheme. Exams for the classes will be held before the winter vacations,” he said.

Omar added, “However, in case of the students of 10th to 12th classes, we cannot restore the academic session this year but in the 2025, we will revert the schedule as per the old scheme and their exams will also be held before winter vacations.”

Rural areas in JK has literacy rate below national average among females

In Jammu and Kashmir, the literacy rate among the girl students in rural areas is below the national average.

In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, the Minister of State (MoS) for education said, “To reduce the dropout of Girls at all levels of school education, under Samagra Shiksha, there is a provision of Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) in the Educationally Backward Blocks where rural female literacy rate is below the national average.”

Besides, the MoS informed the house that there has been over ten percent of drop rate among the girl students of both elementary and secondary levels till 2021-22.

Enrolment in JK Govt schools increases by 1.2 Lakh students

In Jammu and Kashmir, authorities have claimed that the student enrolment in the ongoing academic year has increased by more than 1.2 Lakh students in government-run-schools.

A top official said that during the academic year 2021-22, the total enrolment in government schools was approximately 12 Lakhs.

The official informed that “In the year 2022-23, AAO School Chalein Campaign, was launched and there was a notable increase of 17 percent, resulting in a total enrolment of around 14.18 Lakhs.”

It also said that in 2023-24, again the enrollment witnessed, increasing trend, after deletion of duplicate entries and substantial increase in the pre-primary category, has been noticed over the years. 0.71 Lakhs (2021) to 1.57 Lakhs (2022-23) and now 1.80 Lakhs in 2023-24.

Promises of JKBOSE turn to dust in delivering textbook on time

Even after two weeks of winter vacation, the students enrolled in government-run-schools were yet to receive free textbooks from the authorities—thus raising a question on the functioning of JKBOSE.

The delay in delivering the textbooks has left thousands of students at the receiving end as the School Education Department has failed to distribute the course books on time.

Besides, the Chief Education Officers (CEOs) of Kashmir region have also raised the concerns in this regard and have requested the higher-ups that books shall be made available by JKBOSE at the earliest.

‘Only 30% Govt, Pvt Schools of JK have internet connection

Till February-2024, only 30 percent of overall government and recognized private schools have internet connection available for the students and staff members in Jammu and Kashmir.

The official had said that till February-2024 only ‘5115’ government-run-schools have internet like facilities available for the students and the staff members that include 152 girl schools, 4895 co-educational institutes and 68 boys schools.

It also reveals that only one government aided school has an internet connection available.

The official figures further state that only 34 Kendriya Vidyalaya central schools were having the internet like facilities available for the students and staff.

‘Over 800 Govt schools in JK with zero student enrolment’

Till April, ‘hundreds of government-run-schools are with zero student enrolments. Besides, majority of the institutions are having less than 50 student enrolments.

Moreover, the official documents had stated that more than 18 percent of government schools at elementary level here have an adverse Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR).

However, the Ministry of Education (MoE) in the latest figures regarding the school size and single teacher schools in Jammu and Kashmir has said that, “Out of the total 23,173 schools in the UT, there are 848 schools with zero enrolment.”

‘Only 15% Govt teachers are trained to use computer as medium of teaching’

By the commencement of the year 2024, only 15 percent of teachers in government-run-schools were trained to use computers as a medium of teaching in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to the official figures among the total number of teaching staff in Jammu and Kashmir, only 26,180 teachers were trained in use of computers and teaching through the means.

The official figures reveal that the department of School Education was having a strength of 1,67,000 teachers across the region out of which only 26,180 teachers were trained in use of computers.

SED ‘centralised’ transfer, deputation powers

In August 2024, School Education Department ‘Centralised’ transfer and deputation powers by ‘disempowering’ CEOs, Cluster heads and ZEOs from the mastery.

The government in an order said that the decision was taken following the partial modification in previous related orders.

“It is ordered that the powers of rationalization delegated to Principals, Cluster Heads is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect and henceforth shall be exercised by the Joint Directors, with the prior approval of respective directors,” it reads.

Govt proposes to provide financial support of 25,000 OoSC in 2024-25

In May 2024, the Jammu and Kashmir government had proposed to provide financial support to more than 25,000 Out of School children (OoSC) in the academic year 2024-25.

The concerned authorities from Jammu and Kashmir have proposed to the Ministry of Education (MoE) that “The UT has proposed financial support for 25393 OoSC.”

“In order to support through National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS)

For out of school children, it was informed that special centres have been provided by NIOS across the country for students in government schools,” it reads.

The MoE has further said that the registration fees in these special centres have been subsidized at Rs 2000 per student.

Higher Edu Deptt

Govt Degree Colleges face decline trend in student enrollment

In a worrisome development, the government degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir were facing a decline trend in student enrollment.

The top official of the Higher Education Department had said that besides the overall decline in student enrolment, many colleges have stopped teaching many science subjects as a major subject.

“There is no particular area for the decline in students’ enrolment. In the past couple of years, the decline trend of student enrolment is being witnessed from both the peripheral and urban areas as well,” the official said.

KU slips down by 12 slots in NIRF 2024 ranking

In National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2024, rank of University of Kashmir (KU) has gone down by 12 slots.

Earlier in 2023, KU had figured at 33rd rank in the top 100 Universities category.

In NIRF 2024, from the top 100 in overall category, KU has figured at 69th rank while the University of Jammu (JU) has figured at rank 87.

Similarly, from the top 100 universities, KU has figured at 45th rank and the JU has figured at 50th rank.

Drafting of ‘Pvt University Policy’ for establishment of Pvt Universities

The Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department in 2024 was drafting a ‘Private University Policy’ for establishing the private universities in the region.

Top officials of the department had said that it was in contact with all stakeholders for the clearance of all the related issues.

“In order to send a concrete proposal to the Ministry of Education (Mo) and to invite the private players to establish the universities, we are holding discussions regularly with all concerned stakeholders and we are seeking suggestions from them,” the official had said.

The official further said that the policy will be sent to various concerned departments for suggestions and discussions, including Finance, Law, Revenue, Industry, and Planning.

64 GDCs exempted from making admissions through CUET score

In wake of low CUET based admissions in many degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir, Higher Education Department had exempted 64 Government Degree Colleges from making admissions through CUET score for academic session 2024-25.

The department further said that many other students did not prefer to seek admission through the Common University Entrance Test (CUET) mode keeping in view their geographical locations, topography and availability of the infrastructure.

It had said that among the colleges that have been exempted from making admissions through CUET score for academic session 2024-25 includes 35 government colleges of Jammu division and 29 of Kashmir region respectively.

Newly established GDCs ‘lack’ permanent campuses, infrastructure

The Jammu and Kashmir Higher Education Department in 2024 had admitted that it lacked infrastructure, permanent campus and land for the several newly established degree colleges here.

The department however said that the screening committee has resolved to create a permanent campus for those colleges who lack it.

An official had said that the departments have 140 colleges in Jammu and Kashmir including 90 established colleges.

“We agree that in some newly established fifty colleges in Jammu and Kashmir, some of the institutes still have land issues and in some colleges we have not constructed permanent buildings. We realize that,” the official had said.

Only 15 Pc students enrolled in Pvt Colleges

In Jammu and Kashmir only 15 percent of higher education students prefer to study in private unaided and aided colleges.

According to the official documents that reveal enrolment of private and government colleges based on actual response in a survey states that there were a total of 2,13,213 students enrolled in private and government colleges of Jammu and Kashmir.

Among the total number of enrolled students, 23,580 were enrolled in private unaided colleges, 4038 in private aided.

However, in comparison to the private colleges, the official figures reveal that in government colleges across Jammu and Kashmir, at least 1,85,595 students were enrolled.

‘Craptastic education in JK Colleges

In view of ‘Craptastic quality’ of education in colleges of Jammu and Kashmir, youth here prefer to migrate to other states of India for better quality of education as compared to the regional institutes.

The official documents reveal, “The youth of Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir are looking at colleges and universities outside, claiming that the higher education institutes in other states and UTs have a better quality of education as compared to the regional institutes.”

It said that of some of those who seek admissions in colleges outside Jammu and Kashmir, highlighting a glaring gap in the education infrastructure of the UT at the college and university level.

“As per the official data, there are just 208 private unaided colleges in Jammu and Kashmir, including professional colleges,” it reads.

The official documents further reads that out of total number of private and Government College, not all are functional, and few colleges still don’t have their complete infrastructure in place. —(KNO)