Music & Fine Arts students cry foul at institute

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Jan 11: At a time when University of Kashmir is introducing latest subjects in its curriculum, little efforts are being made to streamline the career of hundreds of students of music and fine art, who are enrolled at Institute of Music and Fine Arts, Rajbagh here.
“The institute runs under the supervision of graduates and none of its faculty is above graduate, even our principal is graduate only,” a group of students told Excelsior. The students also alleged that the faculty was not competent enough to teach latest methods and development of the course.
Ironically, none of the facility member of the institute qualifies the eligibility criteria of UGC. The university authorities have allegedly kept both students and instructors under doll drums as it is yet to declare the status of appointed staff and institute as whole.
The students say that late examination and results create problem for pass out students if they want to pursue higher studies outside State. “This session final year examinations of all colleges have been conducted but the Music and Fine Arts Institute is yet to have its date sheet,” they said.
“Then Vice Chancellor of University of Kashmir, Prof. Reyaz Punjabi had announced that the institute will be shifted to university campus and separate block for music and fine art will be established. The university has not come up with clear directives and initiatives in this regard,” said a staffer pleading anonymity.
When contacted, Prof. Abdul Salam Bhat, Controller Examinations, University of Kashmir said that the delay in examination is due to the delay in submission of assignments by the teaching faculty of Institute of Music and Fine Arts. Prof. Salam said that the teachers have also failed to submit the attendance of students on time.