New Delhi, Mar 4: Ten new government degree colleges will be set up in remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir between 2019 and 2021. The approval has been given by the Jammu and Kashmir State Administrative Council (SAC). Chaired by Satya Pal Malik, the SAC has also given the approval for the upgradation of 228 schools located across multiple districts of the state.
The colleges are to be set up within a period of two years in ten different districts. The finalised locations for the upcoming colleges are Tulail (Bandipora), Boniyar (Baramula), Soibugh (Budgam), Kastigarh (Doda), Jourian (Jammu), Kralpora (Kupwara), Dharhal (Rajouri), Ghagwal (Samba), Mongri Panchari at Kainth Gali (Udhampur). In addition to the abovementioned locations, a Women’s College would be established at Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu.
State Administrative Council has also approved upgradation of 228 government schools
Coming to the upgradation of 228 schools in the state, 87 high schools have already been upgraded to higher secondary schools. These include 42 schools in the Jammu Division and 45 schools in Kashmir Division. On similar lines, 58 middle schools in Jammu Division and 65 middle schools in the Kashmir Division have been upgraded to high schools taking the total count of upgraded middle schools to 123.
The government Lower High School in Mallan Dessa under Bhagwah Tehsil of Doda District has received the SAC’s green signal to be upgraded to high school level. A total of 18 schools would be upgraded under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme which is sponsored by the Centre. Out of the 18 schools, 12 schools are middle schools which would be upgraded to high school level (eight in Jammu Division and Four in Kashmir Division). The remaining six are high schools which would be upgraded to higher secondary level (three in Jammu Division and three in Kashmir Division).
A detailed exercise for consolidation of schools and rationalisation teachers to be undertaken in the state
The SAC has also instructed the department of school education to conduct a detailed exercise for the consolidation of schools and rationalisation of staff of schools. This is particularly important for cities where school enrolments are low and pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) shows a wide deviation from the average PTR of the state.