A double whammy for edu in J&K

Students are feeling worried about their future, says psychiatrist

One of the biggest sufferers from ‘lockdown under lockdown’ in Jammu and Kashmir has been education. Previously, Kashmiri Valley in particular suffered huge academic losses as its students were forcibly kept away from schools and colleges by frequent official curfews and restrictions, separatist-sponsored shutdowns, incidents of violence and prolonged political unrests.

While at the local level innovative and creative educational initiatives were taken from time to time by teachers and community leaders to compensate academic losses, many parents who could afford it, sent their wards to schools and colleges outside J&K to continue their studies.

Back home, the closure of educational institutions for more than one year has taken a heavy toll on the academic career of students, many of whom now feel stressed and apprehensive.

“Over past couple of months I have treated a number of students who were emotionally upset. They said that they were worried about their future”, said noted psychiatrist Dr. Abdul Waheed Khan.

Amid the lockdown necessitated by Covid-19, various educational institutions in J&K, like other parts of the country, started online classes a couple of months ago. But the government’s denying access to 4G internet services in the Union Territory has played the spoilsport. Also frequent withdrawal of even 2G bandwidth services on the pretext of law and order issues has caused huge inconvenience to both students and teachers.

On May 11, the Supreme Court had directed the government to constitute a three-member high-powered committee to look into the issue of restoring 4G internet services in J&K. The Union Home Ministry informed the top court recently that the special committee has decided against resuming the services. In an affidavit filed on July 21, in response to a contempt petition against the Central government, the MHA said that the committee will review its decision after two months, citing the prevailing security situation in the UT.

However, J&K’s Lt. Governor Girish Chandra Murmu, said on July 26 that restoration of 4G internet will not be a problem. He said, “I’m not afraid how people will use this. Pakistan will do its propaganda whether it is 2G or 4G. It will always be there but I don’t see an issue”.

Meanwhile, it is reliably learnt that the Central government has agreed to restore J&K’s statehood and will soon set the process in motion for it.