Receive, Realise and Reciprocate

This is in response to the write up, “Sessions, Seasons and Reasons” written by Mehmood ur Rashid, which had appeared in Greater Kashmir on November 03, 2024. For me it is a first ball sixer hit by the education minister Ms Sakina Yatoo and then well complemented by the chief minister Omar Abdullah. The decision has certainly been appreciated by all stake holders be it parents, teachers or students and has also given us a sigh of relief from autocracy. A point well raised by Mehmood ur Rashid that those (bureaucrats) responsible for changing the session without any valid reason, rationality or logic (that too going against the nature) should be made accountable for committing such malefaction.

But the buck doesn’t stop there, bureaucrats are bureaucrats they believe in implementing the decision whether right or wrong. Whom I find more sinful are the academicians who happen to be at the helm of affairs. They should have opposed the decision left right and centre, but they behave more loyal than the king that too for their small interest viz. for a suitable position or posting. Also, I wish that people who are calling the shots at the highest level understand the fact that one size doesn’t fit all. Here I would like to recall a very (in) famous tale about a person. While climbing a walnut tree he was stuck on the top of the tree, and the people who had gathered there were planning to get him safely down.

A village head of the neighbouring village passing by. He was asked to suggest some remedy. He told the person on the tree to tie a rope around his body and then directed the people to pull the rope. The man came down like a walnut and died on the spot. Everybody was shocked and asked the village head what he had done. He replied, “the poor guy had a hard luck otherwise I have saved many by pulling them out of a well using the same technique”.

This is certainly a welcome step well received in all academic spheres but there needs more to be done with regard to education. The National Education Policy (NEP 2020) has already been implemented but it also needs to be re-visited so that it can prove to be a game changer and a high-yielding step towards the amelioration of the education system. But unfortunately as of now, it seems to be otherwise.

There has been a formidable decline in the student enrolment opting for basic science subject which is quite alarming as it is at its all-time low this year. I guess the reason being the fact that we have not been able to implement the policy the way it should have been and the (mis)credit also goes to the inefficacious exercise under the aegis of common universities entrance test (CUET). The CUET has in principle centralised the admission process and the responsibility has been handed over to bureaucrats which otherwise used to be the domain of respective college principals and admission committee of the college. They used to put in their optimal effort to get maximum number of students enrolled in their institutions. I hope that this issue will also be seriously looked into and would be addressed in near future.

Furthermore, holding a civil society meeting by chief minister is indeed is a welcome step. It needs to be appreciated but at the same time he has to realise where his real strength lies. Indubitably it is hybrid kind of governance prevalent in the UT but an elected CM has a moral authority and Mr Omar Abdullah has to keep the sentiments and aspirations of the people in view. Five-year term is a small period; I hope that Mr. Omar will not compromise on the promises and commitments. Mr. Abdullah needs to consider what people have done and now it is time for him to keep the self respect of his people intact.

By: Nisar Sultan Lone