Writer: AR Bhatt

Understanding the education sector in Kashmir valley by examining its history and development, if compared with the present scenario education seems disturbed due to ongoing conflict. The effect of disturbed situations and insurgency in the state has a diverse attack upon the citizen building institutions like education sector. Insurgency from past years has now brought the education sector at stake and risk. Now the condition has got worsened in such a way that instead of developing the valuable products from the institutions, it lacks the capacity to develop innovative thinking among the students which results in the development of anti-social thoughts and zeal for students towards other issues rather than education.

Historical Overview

In order to understand the current picture of education in Kashmir, it is essential to have a look at the history of the region.

• Ancient Kashmir was the centre for studying Sanskrit. Even students from different parts of the world continued visiting Kashmir for valuable higher education. Primary education during Muslim rule was given through Madrasas moreover there are also remains and traces of higher education during the Buddhist period as the higher institutes like Nalanda, Taxila and Vikram hila existed in that period.

• Later in 1925, the education system in the valley was seen as a shining star because of tremendous developments. The innovative thought of Sheikh Abdullah turns beneficial for the state and community as in 1947 about 2,158educational institutions got developed and the education budget was 7 percent of Jammu & Kashmir revenue.

• A year later during 1948, the University of Kashmir and Advisory Board was established then inaugurated and by 1960, the free education plan from primary up to higher education standards was implemented. Later in 1970s Kashmir got facilitated by the establishment of own educational board named as (Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education). In the 1980s, the education system in Kashmir showed rapid improvement. Education sector showed drastic development in the valley in subsequent decades.

Hindrances in the Path of Knowledge.

The present condition of the education sector in Kashmir and its structure is badly affected by so many conflicts. These situations have a strong base of conflicts which were started from 1947-48.

(a) The loyal thought behind the upliftment of education and developing interest and zeal for attaining knowledge among Kashmiri masses was about to shatter when drastic changes emerged due to the controversial partition of India and Pakistan and then Indo Pak war of 1965 which started affecting the mind and behaviour of Kashmiri students and further Indo Pakistan war of

1965 resulted in the creation of present Line of Control between Pakistan administrated Azad Kashmir and Indian administrated Jammu & Kashmir. In 1999, the conflict between India and Pakistan at Kargil disturbed the civil and educational sector in a large way.

• In 2019 Abrogation of Article 370 resulted into complete shutdown in the state. The Internet service was also stopped by the Govt to avoid any unlike situation in the valley. The education sector was also got disturbed as the schools; colleges was closed for few months.

• In the year 2020 not only Jammu and Kashmir state but the entire nation faced brutality of COVID 19 pandemic. Again, for the benefits of the students and citizens of the state Govt forced complete lockdown in the entire state for few months. These resulted into distraction from the regular educational functioning of the schools.

                       Lockdown imposed by Government amidst COVID 19 Pandemic

Impact.

The impact of these conflicts on the education is describe as:-

• By all these means it is clear that there is no peaceful atmosphere to get an education as now things were going worse. A lot of students left their studies because their economic conditions due to ongoing wars were degraded and in spite of being educated, they prefer to feed their family and those who want to get an education, faced risk of life and trauma of dark future.

• The acute frustration among students crossed the limit and pupil mixed with locals started participating in illegal activities to over through their anger and frustration but the causalities resulted in more unrest and every day shutdown. All forms of political parties being responsible to drive the conditions and not thinking about the future of students. The education sector took painful hiccups due to months of long strike and agitations.

• The 2016 unrest due to the killing of top Hizbul Commander and the unrest lead 86 persons dead and thousands injured while hundreds of students got booked under Public Safety Act (PSA) and hundreds of students got fully or partially blinded under protests.
• Way Ahead.

The process of education in Kashmir since past as well as in current are facing many challenges and the question here arises how to tackle these challenges in order to bring improvement in the field of education.

• Political Stability. It is very essential that there must be political stability both at National and International level. Continuous conflicts between India and Pakistan resulted into disturbed environment and deterioration of development in both countries. The focus of both countries should be the development of the citizens and upliftment of the society by avoiding unnecessary war like situations and insurgency.
• Responsibility of Forces. The Indian army had launched their flagship civilian outreach program, Operation Sadbhavna in the valley in 1998.Under this program Indian Army has launched several successful civil aid programs. Few Education related programs conducted by Indian Army is as follows:-

• Army’s Super 30 gets Kashmiri youth into IIT’s. Indian Army started their second batch of Super 30, an initiative to provide free coaching to youths. Students appearing for medical exams like MBBS, AIIMS and NEET will get an  opportunity to study in this educational centre for a period of twelve months for  entrance examinations of various