With the allocation of Rs 1,873 crore for school and higher education sector in J&K in its 2021-22 budget, the Government of India (GoI) is set to give a major boast to the infrastructural projects in the education sector in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
The amount allocated for current fiscal is Rs 523 crore more than the previous year’s budget allocation.
According to the budget document, 245 works shall be completed which include construction of model schools, additional classrooms, lavatory facilities, smart classrooms.
As per the blueprint, 10 degree college buildings shall be completed at Banihal, Kupwara, Gool, Khilotran, Mahore, Kalakote, Hadipora, Singpora (Pattan) Villgam (Kupwara) and Paddar (Kishtwar) with the construction of 108 additional classrooms in the existing degree colleges.
The budget document reads that modern science laboratory blocks shall be constructed in 10 colleges and around 1200 traditional classrooms shall be converted into IT-enabled classrooms.
It further reads that automation of libraries shall be undertaken in all the remaining degree colleges, while students’ skill centres shall be established in all the degree colleges.
“10,000 students shall be imparted training under Skill Enhancement Training (SET) scheme. 382 Computer Aided Learning (CAL) centres shall be established in an equal number of elementary schools at a cost of Rs 19.10 crore. 77 Vocational labs shall be established in an equal number of High/Higher Secondary Schools at a cost of Rs 3.85 crore,” it said.
“In 2021-22,” the budget said, “J&K targets to increase GER (Gross Enrollment Ratio) from 83.38, 72.77, 67.76 and 53.70 at Primary, Upper Primary, High School and Higher Secondary levels to 85, 74, 69.50 and 57 respectively.”
The dropout rate at the high school level is targeted to further reduce from 17.12 to 15 by March 2022 in J&K.
“723 ICT labs are being established in equal numbers secondary and senior secondary schools at a cost of Rs 46.27 crore, while 38 girls hostels worth Rs 114.14 crore shall be completed,” the budget said. “40 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidhyalya (KGBV) buildings worth Rs 43.33 crore are also to be completed.”
