The Department of Higher Education of Jammu and Kashmir has prepared a draft policy to establish Private Universities in the region. This policy is likely to bring the region into an era of education where variety, quality and innovation are critical aspects of higher education.
This policy is to be a mechanism that permits enforcement for the establishment of Private Universities in compliance with rigorous academic and infrastructural standards in order to safeguard education from dilution for commercial purposes.
Private Universities have many advantages and typically offer courses that are cutting-edge and consistent with industry needs such as ‘artificial intelligence’, ‘sustainable development’, ‘entrepreneurship’, etc. all of which the youth of J&K need exposure to.
Every year, thousands of J&K students leave for study to elsewhere in India most often because the educational curriculum options in J&K are so limited. Private universities are one solution to keep talent from the region in the region.
Increasing autonomy among these universities will promote them to conduct collaborative research projects with national and international institutions, and help spark innovation.
Likewise, it will also create academic and non-academic job opportunities and therefore, promote economic development in the region.
There should be a provision in the policy to make sure that education in private hands continues to be a right, not a privilege of the rich. Provisions for scholarships and fee regulation are key.
There should also be very strong monitoring in place to deal ruthlessly with fly-by-night operators, with the goal of never letting them continue to exist in the system.
This draft is obviously a very positive step in the right direction, but it all comes down to strong implementation. The government should engage educators, students and industry as stakeholders to consult them in the goal of fine tuning the framework.
Finally, serious incentives for good education providers willing to establish campuses in J&K will go a long way to promote rapid growth.
Education is the cornerstone of progress, and Jammu & Kashmir should have institutions that can compete at a national and even global level.
The establishment of Private Universities, with the necessary checks and balances, is definitely a game-changer that brings a new level academic excellence and opportunities for the youth of Jammu & Kashmir.
