Kashmir is the place which is known to people of world for it’s beauty, cool and exquisite atmosphere, high altitude mountains covered with white carpets of snow, evergreen woods, orchards, gardens and lakes. This is the cradle of composite beliefs and multi ethnicity. On the one scale it was classically called “Land of Sufi Saints” and on the other edge Amarnath and Kheer bhavani dwells in it’s lap. Nature has bestowed the whole valley with it’s precious treasures. Be it agriculture, horticulture, pissiculture, apiculture, sericulture or livestock domestication it was bestowed with nectar of every blessing. The atmosphere of valley was so much peaceful that people across the world come here for relaxation of their sipirt even people come here to take sun kissing meditations. We were leading producers of many agricultural, horticultural, handicraft and pottery products. Our dry fruits were world renowned. But don’t know whose evil eye fall on the so called paradise. Now the beauty of valley is dim and demolished. The greenry seems red and fragrance of flowers smell foul. As beautiful as the valley of Kashmir was, now the condition and position of people are as worse . Each and everyone whether it was Kashmiri residents, local politicians or bureaucrats everyone lynched glory and prosperity of valley. From last three decades the condition goes from bad to worse. The chirp of birds has lost in tumult. The shade of chinar now perceives scorching heat. Almost each and every sector is biting dust. Now the valley struggles to attract tourists. Apple growers, farmers, potters, transporters even labourers are crying and screaming but unfortunately nobody is ready to hear their wails. We have lost almost each and every thing. Our resources have been drained, we ran out of wealth and most important we have also lost perception and inclusive will. None of the sector is standing on its spine. Every sector’s spine seems fractured.
The worst victim of turmoil and tumult is education department of valley. One can understand and tolerate compromise on sectors which feeds pocket only but how one can compromise on the sector which feeds soul , heart , mind and body. History is witness, those nations who compromise with their education turns into ashes and their tales is impossible to check out. Hope this will not happen to us. It will not only ruin present era’s generation but it will also turn future generation’s intellect and vision into dust. We ourselves and education department itself is responsible for such slow growth of education. The consecutive shutdowns, protests and curfews slam schools and colleges. Such tortoise speed of education department can be perceived by latest UPSC and SSC exam results. When it proves cup of tea for students of Jammu region especially Chenab valley and valley is failed to get single civil servant officer this year . Our education department almost in every affair is failed to keep pace. It is unable to hold exams on specific time. Since, it has adopted semester based system in colleges the condition goes absurd. It has completely failed to manage two batches in single year which have resulted in birth of number of social problems. When three year course takes four to five years for completion the students loose spirit and confidence and abandon further education. Students become depressed, tensed and frustrated and take fierce steps. It takes much time to declare results which adds fuel to fire. The course of classes is not framed accordingly. It seems idle and useless. Here is dire need to reform syllabus of govt schools. The department is not taking responsibility. It constantly gives substantiation of its irresponsibility. The infrastructure of schools paints a picture of the working of the education department in valley. The rich sector of society manages to send their children outside the state for higher education but middle class students get stucked here which has a bearing on their mental health and financial prosperity later . Rich ones’ afford to send their children to private tuition centers while poor students doesn’t hold such opportunities and such discrimination freezes their future aims and aspirations. Education department indeed itself is not responsible individually. We as a society are responsible too. We are so much selfish and ill minded people where parents are taking advantage from continues closure of schools and indulge their children in such activities which distracts them from academics. We as a society, as parents and mostly as misfortune people should guide our wards. We shouldn’t take advantage of their misfortune. We all should join hands to make things better. Everyone has to come forward and take stand to save our civilization. The sole and easy way to preserve it is healthy educational institutions and these institutions will surely safeguard us from artificial calamities. But unfortunately this department seems cold day by day. We are lacking perception and inclusive realization which makes this department’s work easy to freeze it’s actions. We have to develop perception and realization otherwise we should start preparation for our extinction.
(The author is pursuing higher studies at Aligarah Muslim University. Views are his own)
