Two months on, colleges reopen in Kashmir, but students stay away
DAY 66 Majority of them were seen visiting the institutions to collect study material for the semester
SRINAGAR : Majority of students preferred to stay away from colleges and universities which were throw open on Wednesday after a gap of over 2 months.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration had ordered all colleges and higher educational institutions in the Valley to open by or before October 9, 66 days after they were closed when the Centre revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and put the region under a security lockdown.
However, even after over two months since the abrogation of Article 370, the attendance of students remained almost zero in the few educational institutions that had opened.
While small groups of students were seen visiting the city colleges for study material and syllabus, most of them stayed away from attending the classes.
‘CAME TO COLLECT STUDY MATERIAL’
Security personnel stationed outside a prominent government institution, S P College, were allowing students to enter after checking their identity cards. Dust had settled on the benches in the empty classrooms while rust had started to eat the equipments in the science labs.
“I came here to collect the study material and not to attend classes. The teachers told us that the classes can only start once the situation turns normal,” a second semester chemistry student said.
Though the restrictions have been eased across Kashmir, a spontaneous shutdown against the government’s decision continues in the Valley. The mobile calls and internet services are still blocked.
At the Government College for Women, MA Road, the gates remained locked from inside and only students and their accompanying parents were allowed to enter the premises.
“We got some study material in our pen drives which has been prepared by our teachers. Even though classes have been suspended for the past 66 days, we were told that exams will be held. So we are going to prepare for our examinations,” said a group of forth semester home science students.
Another fifth semester arts student said they were told to start studying for the next semester as well. “We presume that they (university administration) will take the exams of the two semesters together,” she said.
STAFF REPORTS TO WORK
A senior professor of Kashmir University said the staff at the varsity has been coming to the institution but students have mostly stayed away. “Even though there was an increase in deployment of security forces around the university today, the students stayed away once again,” he said.
So far the government’s attempt to reopen schools and higher secondary schools has not succeeded in getting students to attend classes. Parents say they don’t want to put the lives of their children at stake amid shutdown and communication blackout in most parts of the Valley.
Like primary, middle and high schools, majority of the students of higher secondary schools had remained away from attending classes in institutions which were opened last week on October 3.
On August 19, the government had opened the primary schools in all the areas where restrictions were removed.
Two days later, middle schools were also thrown open but most of parents avoided sending their wards to schools.
Though teachers visit to the schools, most of which, including top private ones, continue to remain closed owing to absence of students. Schools have also shown reluctance in operating their buses as public transport has been off the roads. However, private transport continues to ply in most parts of the Valley.
Kashmir divisional commissioner Baseer Khan has asked school authorities not to charge tuition and bus fees from the parents for the months of August and September.
According to officials, restrictions have been removed in most of the police stations in Kashmir and attendance in the schools have improved since the schools were reopened. But they have not given figures to support their claims.
Meanwhile shutdown continued in Kashmir for 66th day as shops, businesses and markets were closed while public transport remained off the roads. Private vehicles and autos were seen plying in many parts of the Srinagar city. While landline telephony services have been restored across the valley, mobile telephone services in most parts of Kashmir and all internet services continue to remain suspended since 5 August.