Frequent Govt closure orders put academics in jeopardy in Kashmir

With PDP-BJP led coalition facing tough time over running academic institutions amid volatile situation and rising protests, various colleges across Kashmir region have lost their academic session due to frequent government closure orders.
This year so far, various colleges of Kashmir lost nearly over four weeks of their academic activities owing to frequent closures orders by government and strikes to prevent the student protests.
The restive south Kashmir, which has remained hotbed for the frequent protest, has witnessed a loss of more than one and a half months of academic activities in various colleges.
The principal of Government Degree College (GDC) Shopian, said that the academic activities in the almost whole month of April remained suspended.
Dar said, “GDC Shopian alone remained closed for around 45 days including some holidays and Sundays. In April only 2-3 academic activities were held here.”
He said, “We are taking extra classes to compensate the losses.”
Similarly, Principal, Government Women College Pulwama said that the academic activities remained suspended for more than a month.
He further said, “Our Women College mostly remains open as compared to other colleges as the location of this college is out of the area where clashes are taking place.”
Principal of Government Degree College (GDC) Anantnag said that there were no disturbances in the academic activities during the month of March but in the months of April and May, the academic activities in the college remained suspended for around two weeks.
Principal, GDC, Anantnag said that as compared to other colleges our institute remained functional, “In the month of April, the class work in our college remained suspended for five days. In the month of May, the academic activities did not take place for about six days.”
Pertinently, the shutdown of education institutes begins from March 5 after four civilians and two militants were killed in Pahnoo area of Shopian district triggering outrage in the valley and ultimately closure of education institutes of the Valley.
Government College for Women, M.A. Road Srinagar has also witnessed a loss of 28 academic days till May 22 excluding 12 Sundays.
Officials of Women College, M.A. Road Srinagar said, “The academic activities in the college were suspended four times in a month of March. In the month of April, the class work remained suspended for 15 days followed by 9 days in the month of May.”
In north Kashmir’s Baramulla district the class work out of first two academic months of this year, class work was held for only one month in the Government Degree College Baramulla.
Principal of GDC Baramulla said, “I have data of only March and April and in those 60 days the class work in our college remained suspended for about 28 days including holidays and Sunday’s.
He also said that after every 2-3 days various colleges across the valley were asked to remain closed as a precautionary measure to prevent any law and order situation, “As far as the district administration of Baramulla is concerned, they ordered closure of college for only three days and remaining other days the college was dysfunctional due to the various strikes and holidays.”