Shiv Kumar Padha
Education is considered as the back bone of any nation as it plays a pivotal role in its development and progress. Education is the single most important factor of development in developing countries and higher education is one of the significant factors that can control our past, present and future. The more we disseminate it and take it to the portals of the aspirants of higher education living in the rural and remote areas the more we are near the long cherished national goals. Due to the in adequate or no access to the higher education those living in the rural and remote areas of state feel as if higher education is the prerogative of the rich or of those who live in cities with an easy access to the institutes of higher education. In a democratic country like ours the government has felt the needs and importance of education and has realised the responsibility to implement plans and programs for democratisation of education in the country. Now education is constitutionally recognised as a birth right of the citizens of the country. To make education accessible to all has been a mission of the government.
This will provide opportunities and avenues to the young talent of the State to peruse their higher educational goals without incurring higher expenses and other difficulties of remaining away from their homes because students from poor families face challenges and cannot succeed in securing opportunities for higher education. . The natives of remote and inaccessible places, situated in Basohli, Bani, Lohai and Malhar, are poor and deprived of even basic necessities like food, connectivity, shelter, health, education and employment. Under such circumstances the youth of these areas can never dare aspire for higher education. Though doubt the youth living in these in accessible areas are intelligent, industrious, talented and hardworking and are in no way behind their counterparts living in other parts of the state but, for them acquiring higher education is like a wild goose chase. They feel that they are deprived of bonanza of gifts and facilities which the dawn of independence brought with it for all the countrymen without any discrimination. The youth of these remote areas, after doing Plus 2 or graduation, go to the markets of other states of the country and work there as coolies and porters and fetch money in order to feed their families at home. For the poor parents, sending their children to the nearest university Jammu for higher education is like sending them to any other city of the country.
Realising the difficulties and hardships of the poor youth, aspiring for higher education, from the remote and inaccessible terrains of Basohli, Bani Tehsils, Vikas Manch Basohli took the initiative and made a humble appeal to N. N Vohra Governor of Jammu and Kashmir in the year 2013 for providing a campus of Jammu university at Basohli. Because many aspiring and capable youth from these terrains have to leave their education in the way and visit the markets of the neighboring states for earning livelihood.
With the positive response of to the Basohli Vikas Manch, a process of correspondence between Vice Chancellor, Union Minister MHRD, and Paervez Dewan Advisor to Governor Jammu and Kashmir was initiated in the favorable direction.
Higher Education Department Government of Jammu and Kashmir, informed this Manch, through its letter No: HE/Plan-103/2015 dated 12th April 2016, regarding the resource constraints and promised in its first instance to equip the existing Degree college at Basohli with all necessary infrastructure , laboratories and library the basic requirements of NAAC accredition. After the college is accredited by the NAAC then introduction of PG courses would be Considered there.
The people of Basohli constituency feel grateful for the unforgettable love and favours which Mufti Sahib, exhibited during his short but decisive tenure as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir for which they will remain indebted throughout their lives. This Manch requests. Mehbooba Mufti, Chief Minister of the State to intervene in the matter and manage to release adeqate funds to the Higher Education Department in order to help provide the needed infrastructure and equip the library and laboratories of GDC Basohli as per the requirements of the NAAC, to start the PG classes in the GDCBasohli at the earliest.
Taking higher education to the portals of the aspirant of Basohli Bani is a noble cause and a constitutional commitment. Let the higher education become the right of the aspiring youth of the country and not the prerogative of the rich and elite class.