STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Chairman, Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) and former Education Minister, Harsh Dev Singh submitted a memorandum in the office of the Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani at Shastri Bhawan New Delhi seeking immediate operationalization of IIT and IIM announced for Jammu region and making at least the IIT functional from the current academic year itself.
He said that though the IIT for Jammu region had been announced in 2014 but regretted that the eligible students of not only the previous year but also the current year were being deprived of the opportunity of availing of the benefits of the most advanced technology institute despite its sanction.
He said that assurances were doled out for early commencement of classes not only during the previous year but the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had very categorically announced last month also to start the first batch for the said IIT from the GCET complex Kot Bhalwal during the current year itself.
Regretting the non publication of the name of the newly sanctioned IIT for Jammu region in the list of institutes authorized to make admissions for the current year, Singh sought the personal intervention of Union HRD Minister in the interests of all aspiring and eligible candidates of the state who would otherwise be deprived of the great opportunity.
Harsh further appealed in the Memorandum submitted to HRD Minister to give preference to rural areas in the matter of selection of location for the said institutes.
Inviting the attention of the HRD Minister towards the neglect of rural populace in the matter of establishing of institutions of higher learning, Singh deplored that Urban areas and commercial centres had all along been given the priority and advanced institutes of education in the past were always located in such big cities and towns only.
Seeking the personal indulgence of the HRD Minister to address the concerns of rural youth and rustic life, Singh demanded the establishment of IIM institute in Ramnagar town of district Udhampur which is the seat and symbol of rich Dogra culture and heritage with its picturesque landscapes. He said that besides the availability of huge chunk of Free State land, Ramnagar Tehsil provided the most suitable location for the establishment of said institute from the point of view of climate, security, geography, accessibility, topography and allied considerations.
He further appealed for establishment of other sanctioned institute of IIT in Samba in view of the said area falling midway between Jammu, Udhampur and Kathua and providing a centrally ideal location.
Harsh further petitioned to the HRD Minister to provide a Degree College in Majalta Tehsil in view of its feasibility and repeated assurances given by the govt. to the people of the area as the students were forced to travel 50-60 Kms to reach the nearest college in Udhampur.
He stated in his memorandum that the High Court of J&K in a petition filed by Panthers Party in the year 2013 had also directed the State govt. to consider the demand for a degree college in Majalta.
