Yet again highlighting the non-seriousness of the Government towards strengthening education sector, world famous tourist resort tehsil Pahalgam or pahalgam constituency in the south kashmir are without degree college. Inhabitants of the region have demanded setting up of a degree college here saying it would help students of far-flung areas to pursue higher education. “Many poor students from remote areas had to leave their studies midway as they could not afford to travel to Ananthnag degree college for pursing higher education. Government cannot deny education to any student under the Right to Education Act. It is high time for the Government to accord sanction for establishingdegree college here at the earliest.”
Every Tehsil in Anantnag district except Pahalgam has a degree college. Though an year ago the Government approved 22 degree colleges in the state, Pahalgam was neglected. making it is difficult for the students hailing from the remote areas of Aru, Frislan, Langanbal, and Avora Nallah to first reach Pahalgam and then travel to Ananthnag town to reach the degree college there. This has taken a heavy toll on students who have left their studies and have instead taken up menial jobs. Pahalgam is the only Tehsil in the entire state which despite its vast area and huge population has been denied a degree college. It almost takes the students more than three hours to reach the college in ananthnag. By the time students reach there most of the classes are already over.
The situation gets even worse during winters leaving the students with no choice but to pursue higher education through distance mode or go for private examinations. The government should also keep in mind that the college is established at such a place in the Tehsil which will is centrally located.nIt is pertinent to note that Pahalgam constituency in south Kashmir is represented by PDP MLA for the last 12 years, being the MLA at present or past. The present collation government or present representative have obviously done nothing to show on the development map, especially with regards to education. Students and teachers of Govt Higher Secondary School of Pahalgam have been facing untold hardships as their institution grapples with space and basic facilities especially in respect of sraff shortage in said institution.The incumbent should not forget their democratic responsibilities and take immediate note of the said issues In the absence of such a reckoning, the people of the region will remind them of their failures on the development front in the forthcoming assembly elections. For many of its limitations, electoral democracy has one advantage. Through the instruments of franchise and elections, it keeps reminding those in power, that power is not permanent, only a time-limited contract of responsibility and service.