Institute of Kashmir Studies, University of Kashmir signed an MOU with the South Asian Foundation in 2012 & started a Master’s Program in Kashmir & South Asian Studies. According to the MOU the total intake capacity of the program was 30, out of which 16 seats were kept reserved for the foreign aspirants from 8 SAARC countries who were paid with monthly scholarships and accommodation, 14 seats for local aspirants without scholarships and accommodation who were selected through an entrance examination conducted annually by University of Kashmir. The Institute of Kashmir Studies started its first batch from April 2013 with an inaugural session by the present Vice Chancellor, who presently holds the same charge in the University of Kashmir, and the then Director of Institute, Siddiq Wahid. Since then the Institute admitted students with the same pattern for three consecutive sessions until 2016, and then discontinued. It was promised to students enrolled for the course that their PG degree will be taken care of with employment and research prospect. Near about 50 local students have passed out from the Institute, and they now run from pillar to post in search of job or to pursue Ph.D with this PG degree. But no one considers them, even the same Institute where from they pursued their master’s, didn’t consider them for research program. Instead the faculty advertised vacancies for Ph.D for students having PG in Sociology, Kashmiri, and Social Work which is suitable for their specialized area, thus disregarding students who passed out with PG in Kashmir and South Asia Studies.
Pertinent to mention here is that the students made a formal representation to the previous Vice Chancellor in this regard to give equivalence to it with one of the Social Science subjects and consider the pass ots for research. He promised to solve the issue at the earliest, but till now nothing has moved. Representatives of previous batches recently met the incumbent Director of the Institute. Unfortunately the interaction was very discouraging for the group.
The Institute has now started another two year PG course in Anthropology which is a UGC recognized PG program. The already passed out students from IKS request the Vice Chancellor of Kashmir University to look into the issue of equivalence and consider them for research program.
Representatives of earlier batches of IKS