Professor Riyaz Punjabi opens a can of worms to let out an open secret
Opening of new colleges political gimmick: KU V-C
Abid Gani Wani (Daily Etalaat)
Srinagar, April 28 : Expressing concern over establishing new degree colleges by the government without providing the basic infrastructure, the vice-chancellor of Kashmir University Professor Riyaz Punjabi on Monday termed the upgradation of the schools a “political gimmick.”
Speaking to Etalaat on the sidelines of a function in the campus, Prof Punjabi said that the establishment of the colleges and the upgradation of the schools were done “to gain a political mileage” and “the ministers have done it at the cost of quality education.””It has deeply affected the quality of education and played with the career of students,” he said. “I personally visited the newly-established colleges and noticed that one person was discharging the duties of a principal, teaching faculty as well as a clerk. How can he do justice with the profession and deliver his duties?” Prof Punjabi said.
He said the policy of establishing new colleges would degrade the higher education and “result in intellectual bankruptcy of the students.”
“I have publicly told the Minister for higher education that the plan to establish the colleges is vague and is no way helping the students to provide them the quality education,” he said.
He said that if the government would improve the basic infrastructure to the already establish colleges and introduce job-oriented courses “it would be a real achievement rather than establishing the colleges for the sake of publicity.”“It is pathetic that the students who are enrolled in the newly-established colleges are studying in tents and a single room is the college for them,” Prof Punjabi said.
He said that in the technological era, “our colleges are still used to teach the conventional subject which makes the students dependent on the government sector after passing their degree.”
“If the new and job-oriented courses would be introduced for the students, they can generate the employment not only for themselves but to others as well.”
He said that the university is going to submit a report to the state government in which different suggestions and recommendations by the experts is sought to ameliorate the debilitating conditions of the education sector in the Valley.