Srinagar
The University of Kashmir is set to lose control over its two satellite campuses in Leh and Kargil district. The campuses will soon be a part of Ladakh University, that is being established in the Union Territory of Ladakh, reported The Tribune.
According to report, with 11 faculty members, two of them contractual, the satellite campus has over 60 students at present. The Leh campus is located at Phyang. It was built at a cost of Rs27.40 crore and is spread over an area of 41 hectares.
The University of Kashmir was established in 2017. In all, 38 students took admission in it under three courses — MSC in geology, Masters in Tourism Management and Masters in English, said the report.
The then Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti inaugurated the Kargil campus. It was built at a cost of Rs29 crore, with a student intake capacity of 150. Initially, three subjects — information technology, Arabic and botany — were introduced. The campus, according to university officials, had received a good response, following which many courses were being introduced.
The newspaper The Tribune quoted Talat Parvez, secretary, Higher Education Department, as having said the students studying in these campuses and those who had registered through the University of Kashmir would complete their degrees from the same university.
“However, from the new academic session, the students will have to enrol themselves in Ladakh University, which would have full autonomy there,” The Tribune quoted the official as having said, adding that “Students will still have a choice to study in whichever university they want.”
Officials at University of Kashmir are dismayed over losing their control over the two campuses, with many demanding that the sanctioned staff at the two campuses be called back.
“Now, it will be under the control of Union Territory of Ladakh , so we want our staff deployed in the two campuses back, as we are facing shortage in our university,” newspaper quoted a senior official as having said on the condition of anonymity.
Another official at the University of Kashmir said this was a high-level decision and no official announcement had been made so far, reported The Tribune.
