J&K colleges struggle to run 4-year UG degree courses

Srinagar, Oct 5: The implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP)-based four-year undergraduate (UG) degree across Jammu and Kashmir has emerged as a major challenge for the Higher Education Department (HED), with a lukewarm response from students forcing logistical and academic adjustments.

Officials said less than 30 percent of students from the 2022 UG batch have opted to continue for the optional fourth year, meant for those pursuing Honours or Honours with Research degrees. Due to the low enrolment, the department has restricted the programme to select colleges and asked students to shift institutions to complete their final year.

However, students have expressed resentment over what they call “forced transfers.”

Students of the UG Batch-2022 (English Honours) at Amar Singh College, Srinagar, said they were recently directed to shift to other colleges after the Director of Colleges issued a notification designating specific institutions for selected subjects.

“In the notified list, only 12 out of 43 subjects have been allotted to Amar Singh College. English, which was clearly offered here for the 4th year, has now been excluded despite us being admitted and paying fees,” a group of aggrieved students told Greater Kashmir.

They said the decision contradicted earlier assurances. “We enrolled here precisely because the college offered English Honours. Declaring it unauthorised now is unjust and misleading. We’ve already paid fees, and the batch meets the minimum strength,” they said.

The students said the delay had already wasted three months of academic time, and many could have opted for postgraduate programmes had the situation been clarified earlier. They also argued that forcing transfers after admissions violated the spirit of NEP 2020, which emphasises student choice and flexibility.

Similar complaints have surfaced from GDC Anantnag, where students pursuing journalism were asked to move to Government College for Women, MA Road, Srinagar, due to low enrolment. “I enrolled here for convenience. Shifting to Srinagar was never mentioned at the time of admission,” a student said.

An official from the Higher Education Department said colleges were struggling to run the 4th year courses with such low student strength. “The department has decided to merge batches in select colleges to make classes viable,” the official said.

Director Colleges J&K, Prof. Sheikh Aijaz Bashir, confirmed that the 4th year is optional and primarily meant for students pursuing Honours, research, or higher studies.“Less than 30 percent of students are continuing for the 4th year. It’s not feasible to offer the programme in every college,” he said.

He added that courses are being run only in colleges with sufficient enrolment. “Students are being asked to move to these institutions. After three years, most students shift to universities anyway, so a transfer to another college should not be an issue,” Prof. Bashir said.