Pankhuri Aggarwal
College and university time is packed with delight and pleasure. It is not only a dream come true for the students but it actually acts as a stepping or foundation stone for the students. In today’s society there are so many distractions which come in the way of students from reaching their full potential academically. And one of these problems is the problem of seeking higher education in places located far from their native places than their domicile. Student life has probably become more challenging than at any time before. There are so many issues they have to deal with – study, time, money, relationships, job hopes, and more. Many students do not even admit their problems due to various reasons and this affects their future prospects. And over a period of time these can badly obstruct a student’s psyche. Today’s students are saddled with loads to study.
Study curriculum has become more extensive and multifaceted than ever before. They not only carry ever increasing weight of study material on their shoulders but they also carry the burden of intensive study even after they have left the classroom. More than that due to lack of facilities for higher education at their native place, they face the problem of accommodation at places where they go for study. It not only costs them money wise but also time wise. Their parents at home at other remain concerned about their safety. Sherish, a student of Jammu University said, “I come daily from Udhampur and it is really tough for me to cope up with my fitness at times. I am really thankful to my parents that they are sending me jammu for my studies”. She further added, “It is not only my money which is involved but at times I feel a bit afraid to travel alone in the train every day, I reach home around five in the evening”. This is not the only difficulty students are facing, they are not being allotted hostels in Jammu university campus due to paucity of rooms and the authorities are not even willing to provide students with new hostels.
Today the students’ future seems like an uphill task where they need an extra oxygen tank to climb the ladder to success. They face the burden and challenge of attending and paying for colleges and universities in poor economic times. Another student of the university campus, Masood said, “I am from Poonch which is around 272 km away from Jammu and it is not easy for me to travel back home daily. I don’t have any hostel room allotted and that is why I and my friend Wasim have taken a room on rent in a hotel in Jammu city’’ “The expenditures are becoming a burden for us. Not only we are laden with the city charges but the books, transport and food is playing heavily on us”, he rued. Jammu region is lagging far behind every city in India as far as education is concerned and the sole reason to the problem is lack of facilities and infrastructure.
A study recently conducted reveled that around 5000 students drop out which is approximately around 70% students are not able to get the higher education and the reasons are numerous: family financial crisis, far-off colleges and universities and what not.
Gitanjali Gupta said, “I have to come daily to Jammu from Udhampur. At times when the weather is not supportive or due to some personal reasons,I have to miss my classes in the university. I always think if I have some accommodation in Jammu city, my education would not had suffered so much and with that nor my marks. Stenzing, a student of the university said, “In Ladakh we don’t have higher education facility which Jammu has and this being the reason we have to migrate to Jammu. It is not at all easy to proceed with life here. The societies are completely poles apart, it actually took me a long time to adjust here and so did my studies”.
Regardless of so many challenges, students are still optimistic and should be as their education is the country’s future. These students should specifically be involved in extra-curricular activities.
Special laws and regulations need to be enacted to make sure that all sections of society get quality education. Concessions and other benefits need to be provided. Also, the government must embark on sufficient measures to change the educational and political scenario of the Jammu city. We need to help these students in all walks of life.
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