Let 4G be restored

After a long time when I tried touse the internet on my laptop thinking about attending a research workshoponline and taking some online initiative for people in tribal areas, I had tostop myself because of certain unavoidable reasons. Kashmir most of the timedoes not have internet facility because of censorship and blockade; and studentsin tribal areas are generally poor and don’t have access to smartphones even.Leaving this aside, I thought about discussing with my Professor the initiativeof uploading e-Content online on the university website for his Masters andBachelors students, but again I was not able to utilize my time in a better wayin Pandemic Covid-19 Crisis. On the one side, the UN High Commissioner forHuman Rights urged all governments to immediately end any and all blanketinternet and telecommunication shutdowns, but unfortunately for Kashmir, it issomething else, the approach called “other” in Anthropology. Everyone has theright to receive and impart information. Blunt measures such as blanketInternet and telecommunications shutdowns, sometimes for prolonged periods,violate the principles of necessity and proportionality and contraveneinternational law.

After more than half a year, onFebruary 24 this year, students had returned to schools, but just within twoweeks times, educational institutions were ordered to shut down as aprecautionary measure against the coronavirus outbreak. Around 13 lakh studentsare home-ridden now, till at least mid-April, which is expected to continue.Now, for the first time in my life that I see world worrying about something calledCorona Virus! I am a researcher and have cried at home. Who would listen to me?I knocked the doors of Advisors to Governor and some other top officials butnobody helped, as they did not feel the pain of a Kashmiri student and wereworried about something disastrous happening through the internet. The rulersof the present time and the babus in chair live in comfort zone, how they couldunderstand my pain that I had for education to compete with the students livingoutside J&K and availing each and every facility. Sometimes as a socialanthropologist, I asked to myself, don’t we deserve reservation?

   

Perhaps it was the best time forthe government to restore 4G internet services as they have begun releasingpolitical leaders. Imagine a day-long shutdown of the internet outside Kashmirand the pain people will have! Because of internet blockade students in Kashmirhave been affected the most psychologically, mentally, their education, etc.

At present, there are manyNon-Government Organizations and individual volunteers who are either planningor have begun to make videos and start online classes for the students inKashmir. But again it becomes difficult for them to work without 4G high-speedinternet. Many schools in Kashmir have the potential to launch online classesfor students and many people can voluntarily teach students live on YouTube orother platforms, but when there is no internet facility, it becomes difficultfor people even to download pdf assignments that schools send to their children.The long haul has frustrated school management also, as they are unable todeliver online classes, unlike other places.

As per guidelines of the MHRDinitiative of online teaching has begun all over India, SWAYAM has tripled theaction since lockdown but for Kashmir, the idea cannot be materialized unlessand until the 4G network is restored. If the government cannot restorehigh-speed internet this time, then it should be a solid proof that theblockade of internet was not for bringing so called normalcy but an attack onthe education system in Kashmir. My eyes turned wet while watching the mediabriefing on covid-19 when Dr. Tedros Adhanon talked about his child missing theclasses and at the same time I began to think of  Kashmiri students how they are going tocompete with these students in near future. These students are not attendingclasses occasionally and Kashmiri students are attending classes occasionally!India has started many good initiatives like happiness curriculum in education,digital India, but where is Kashmir in this?

Let the good sense prevail andHome Ministry understand and feel the pain of the loss of time of the studentsin Kashmir.

Author is a Researcher in SocialAnthropology

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

five × four =