Srinagar, Mar 20 (KNS): The students’ council SKAUST-K Shalimar on Tuesday said that though the establishing of Horticultural University is a welcome move, but it should not be at the expense of SKUAST-K.
Amir Bashir Wani, state president AIASA J&K and president students council SKAUST-K Shalimar ccording to the statement issued to KNS said, “We welcome the initiative of government for the establishment of Horticulture University in the State but were dismayed to learn from some news outlets that government is planning to destroy the existing structure of SKUAST-Kashmir.”
“We extend our full support to government for establishing the Horticulture University as a competent University (Should be newly established in terms of infrastructure as well as recruitment like other new institutes that have been established within the states e.g., central universities of J&K),” he said.
He said that the state government is planning new Horticulture University to make new horticulture graduates without any plan to engage already horticulture graduates. “Either they are playing with the future of new students by befooling them or destroying future of already existing horticulture graduates holder,” he said.
He said that “every time we represented our plight (In J&K state, there are 0% jobs for horticulture graduates from last 10 years and ironically Horticulture graduates are not even eligible in their respective departmental posts) to higher officials like Horticulture ministers and respective secretaries of Govt. of J&K which they rejected by saying “there is no need of horticulture graduates in the state”, then what is fun of producing new horticulture graduates when they never need us. The plight Horticulture graduates is least discussed by the state government.”
Wani said that the creation of new institute is meant to create new jobs, new research initiatives leading, sound research potential which in return help farm community.
“State Govt. has decided to carve out the horticulture university from the already established institute, like with shifting of staff etc, which will not only the future of Horticulture grads but will only create bundles of unemployed youth with no future. We are of opinion that this is a futile exercise. We reiterate and strongly endorse the establishment of new Horticulture University within the state but no at the cost of already existing university and the future of unemployed horticultural graduates,” the statement added.
“We as the Horticulture and Agriculture and Agricultural Engineering students of state strongly oppose the move of shifting staff from SKUAST-K, with no plan to recruit unemployed Horticulture and agriculture graduates and post-graduates. If our demand is not recommended by the state govt. we will stop the ongoing classes of our degree programmes and will set our useless degrees on fire,” Wani said.
“Therefore, what is being contemplated would be, for the faculty, will be highly detrimental for the whole agricultural setup in the state of Jammu & Kashmir,” the statement added. (KNS)