By Tehreer

As Jammu and Kashmir grapples with an alarming dropout rate of 25.33% at the secondary level—above the national average—districts like Anantnag (46.61%) and Budgam (43.18%) paint a bleak picture of educational disengagement. The universities, once bastions of academic excellence, now languish at the bottom of national rankings, their infrastructure and resources woefully inadequate. A 2020 report revealed that only 20% of these institutions have digital classrooms, a mere 15% possess functional laboratories, and just 10% have digital libraries. These staggering numbers illustrate the systemic neglect of the region’s education sector, where chronic underfunding, outdated curricula, and socio-economic factors threaten to undermine the future of the generations to come.

Underfunding and Infrastructure Deficits: A Barrier to Competency

The chronic underfunding of Jammu and Kashmir’s higher education system has debilitating consequences. With only ₹2,432 crores allocated to education in 2020-21—a mere 2.3% of the state budget—institutions are left grappling with outdated infrastructure and inadequate resources. In stark contrast, states like Karnataka and Tamil Nadu allocate 4.2% and 4.5% of their budgets, respectively. The impact of the underfunding is glaring: crumbling classrooms, ill-equipped laboratories, and a glaring absence of digital learning resources. Such deficiencies hinder meaningful learning and limit students’ exposure to modern educational practices. In remote districts, schools and colleges face additional challenges like frequent power cuts and inadequate internet connectivity, making digital learning nearly impossible. With no robust infrastructure for research and innovation, students in Jammu and Kashmir are often disadvantaged compared to their peers in other states, reducing their competitiveness in national and international academic arenas.

The Erosion of Creative Learning

The psychological burden has exacerbated the whole mental outlook. In an environment dominated by competition, creativity has taken a backseat. Social media amplifies this stress, compelling students to chase fleeting online trends instead of pursuing meaningful academic goals. A 2020........

© Kashmir Observer