Governor, CM highlight importance of University Campuses in remote areas

Excelsior Correspondent
KARGIL, June 19 : Equating enhanced access to higher education with ensuring its universalization, Governor N. N. Vohra, and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah underlined the importance of satellite campuses, particularly those located in the remote areas, to give a fillip to the attainment of educational goals.
“This will also provide opportunity to young talent to pursue higher educational goals without incurring large expenditures and other difficulties in moving away from their native places”, the Governor and the Chief Minister said, adding that students from less advantaged families face considerable challenges and may not succeed in securing opportunities for higher education.
The Chief Minister said that the decision of the Government to establish Satellite Campuses in the remote areas is aimed at reaching out to the talent all across the State and giving them a break to prove their ability, expressing hope that the efforts of the Government in this direction will prove fruitful.
Addressing a function after laying Foundation Stone of Satellite Campus of Kashmir University at Khumbathang, Saliskote near here, the Governor and the Chief Minister emphasized the need of developing the Campus as unique knowledge centre where the identification of courses and curricula are based on current and future relevance.
The Governor, who is Chancellor of the Kashmir University, spoke about the opening of opportunities for the Kargil district students with the projected functioning of the Satellite Campus. The emerging human resource would competently serve the region, State and the country, he observed.
Underscring the importance of education in the holistic development of the society, the Governor said that expansion of education and creation of avenues for youth to receive higher education in a remote and economically backward area like Kargil is of great importance.
The Chief Minister, while unveiling the foundation stone of the Kargil Campus of Kashmir University, reaffirmed his Government’s keen desire to universalize education and give sustained impetus to make higher education accessible to students in far-flung and remote areas.
Mr. Omar Abdullah said that besides creating a chain of new degree colleges all across the State, he had taken personal interest to see that new Campuses were established at identified places in the State.
The Chief Minister emphasized on making Kargil Campus a unique seat of knowledge where subjects of present day relevance are taught to the students. He said that geography and mountainous grandeur of Ladakh region provide ample study and research material to the education seekers and this aspect needs to be kept in view while introducing subjects of higher studies and research in the University syllabus.
Mr. Omar Abdullah also emphasized on construction of infrastructure in accordance with the heritage and native architecture of Kargil, adding that infrastructure and faculty strength should complement each other in making Kargil Campus an education centre of excellence and attraction.
A. R. Rather, Minister for Finance and Ladakh Affairs, Qamar Ali Akhoon, Minister for CAPD, . Kacho Ahmad Ali Khan, Chief Executive Councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Kargil and Prof. Talat Ahmad, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir, also spoke on the occasion.