Suhail Rather
Srinagar, Apr 9 (KNS): The Jammu and Kashmir Government has sanctioned a girls' hostel worth Rs 10 crore for Government Degree College Bandipora and is actively considering a proposal for a dedicated library block, with efforts also underway to address infrastructure and staffing gaps in higher education institutions across the Union Territory.
This was revealed in a written reply to a question raised by MLA Nizam-ud-Din Bhat during the session of the J&K Legislative Assembly.
The government informed the House that a formal request for a library block was received in February 2025 and that the Higher Education Department is exploring the possibility of including it in the 2025-26 CAPEX Budget, subject to fund availability.
The new girls' hostel at GDC Bandipora, sanctioned under the centrally sponsored PM-USHA scheme by the Ministry of Education, is expected to address long-standing accommodation issues for female students. The approved cost of the hostel project is Rs 10 crore.
The reply further said that while GDC Bandipora currently operates without a playground, the initial step of fencing the college land has been sanctioned.
The development of a playground will follow once fencing is completed.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelAs for transport, only one of the college's three buses is operational, while the other two have been declared condemned.
Addressing concerns raised by the MLA regarding limited subject offerings at the college, the government said that the absence of courses such as Geology, Geography, Arabic, and Electronics is not due to a lack of facilities but because of the academic structure and capacity constraints. It emphasized that not every degree college can accommodate all subjects.
Currently, GDC Bandipora offers undergraduate programmes in a broad range of disciplines including Commerce, Botany, Chemistry, Physics, Political Science, Computer Applications, Sociology, English, Economics, Urdu, Education, History, and Zoology, along with various minor subjects to provide a well-rounded academic framework.
The government reiterated its commitment to improving access to quality higher education in J&K, citing the adoption of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and major investments in infrastructure through CAPEX and RUSA. To strengthen academic capacity, new faculty are being recruited via the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC). (KNS)