Signifying messy state of affairs in higher education sector, less than 25 percent of pass-outs from schools join colleges in Jammu and Kashmir.
According to official figures, over 50,000 students appear in secondary school examinations held by JK board of school education, of which less than 13000 students later on go on to join colleges, meaning a higher rate of dropout which is a cause of concern.
“Less than 25 percent of pass outs from schools enter the colleges in the State. Degree colleges already established do not have required infrastructure and manpower,” reads the memo of the higher education department submitted to state administrative council.
“There is a deficit in the number of colleges, infrastructure which acts as a major hurdle in the process to increase enrolments in colleges. Further, lack of employability after finishing higher education in the state also act as barrier in the number of students joining the higher education in the state,” said a senior official.
As per the data available on official website of the higher education department, out of 97 existing government degree colleges, 47 are in Jammu, 46 in Kashmir and four in Ladakh.
The department of higher education is charged with the responsibility to monitor and regulate the dissemination of higher education above 10+2 level in the state by extending education facilities in the colleges and universities. The access to higher education is measured in terms of gross enrolment ratio.
MHRD has set gross enrollment ratio target of 22% at the national level to be achieved by 2020. The State is also aiming at achieving this GER target of 22% by the end of 2020.
A senior higher education department said “to impart higher education to a larger number of students, the SAC has given approval to 40 new degree colleges to be opened in the state.”
According to a finance department official, Rs 50 crore in the balance period of the current financial year and Rs 200 crore in the next financial year is proposed to be spent on infrastructure augmentation in the degree colleges. Required manpower with more emphasis on teaching faculty will also be provided.
Out of 40 colleges, 22 have been allocated to Jammu while only 16 have been sanctioned for Kashmir. Two colleges have gone to Ladakh region.
Jammu division has got more colleges despite having less population as compared to Kashmir.
The population in 10 districts of Jammu division is 53.5 lakh while as in Kashmir it is around 69 lakh, besides 3 lakh in Ladakh.