Education is one of the most powerful things in life. Itallows us to find the meaning behind everything and helps improve lives in amassive way. Education gives us an understanding of the world around us andoffers us an opportunity to use that knowledge wisely. Irrespective of race,creed, and gender, education makes it possible for people to stand up as equalwith all the other persons from different walks of life. Overall, education isthe platform that makes it possible to defeat all barriers.
But the Education in Jammu and Kashmir is passing throughtough times. Right from KG classes to Higher Education every student andscholar is frustrated. When the student community across globe feels botheredabout their career on account of the outbreak of Covid-19 those in Kashmir feelashamed of associating themselves to the word career itself. There are somepressing issues the education is facing at the University of Kashmir.
Prior to the outbreak of Covid-19 when the whole world wasoperating very smoothly the story in Jammu and Kashmir was quite different.With the abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A on 04 August 2019 the state wasunder lockdown for 7 months and thus education system was shut. There was noclassroom activity, none of the universities were working during this longperiod in Kashmir. There were no online classes, no E-notes or WhatsApp studymaterial, no YouTube classes because the internet was also barred for thisperiod (which is yet to be restored with 4G speed). From this one can easilyfind out the quality of our college graduates and university post graduates.The scholars having no access to internet and the library, one can imagine thewaste of talent. Who is Responsible forthis crime, who will bring the time of students back?
When the University of Kashmir had just restarted theclasses for only a single month i.e., February 2020 (with Reading Rooms stilloff), there was this outbreak of Covid-19 in the following month (March) andthe University is off once again since then. By this, one can find out howsmooth the Academic calendar worked in the University. Myself admitted in mid2018 for MA degree still looking for the conduct of second semester exams whentwo years have already passed, how much time it would take to complete thecourse going by this pace when three semesters are yet to be finished. The same is the story of every student andeach scholar.
Lost time is never found again. Authorities must think over it and find possible ways forsaving the precious time of students. Assuming the lockdown to be continued forone more month, it would mean no academics for almost a year. In this regard ageneral appeal from the students pursuing the same degree is to promote them tothe next semester as per their performance in the previous semester exam andstart online learning classes, E-notes and study material via mails andWhatsApp; this, without any further delay.
Aaqib Ashraf Nengroo is pursuing MA Economics, University of Kashmir