Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 24: There are 23 ‘hanging colleges’ in Jammu and Kashmir and unless these are made fully functional the Government would not consider opening of more degree colleges.
“Twenty three Government Degree Colleges, which were sanctioned during the year 2011, are still without the required infrastructure and we have given them the name of hanging colleges”, said Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar in reply to the question of BJP MLA from Reasi, Ajay Nanda.
Making it clear that Government would not even think of opening more colleges till the fate of these 23 ‘hanging colleges’ is decided, the Minister said, “the department intends to equip these 23 colleges with all necessary infrastructure like buildings, laboratories, libraries etc in order to make them fully functional”.
He informed the House that the committee constituted to look into the feasibility and other parameters and to devise a mechanism for establishment of new degree colleges in uncovered places of the State has submitted its feasibility report.
“However, appropriate decision with regard to opening of new colleges will be taken in consultation with the Finance and Planning Departments subject to the availability of resources”, he added.
The Minister further informed that 224 middle and 153 high schools were upgraded to the next higher levels under State Plan by the previous Government without concurrence of the Planning and Finance Departments. “Keeping this in view there is no proposal for upgradation of schools to the level of Higher Secondary Schools at present”, he made it clear.
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