“A teacher affects eternity, he can never tell where his influence stops.”
-Henry B. Adams
Education is the backbone of any society. It is the key to success and a bright future. Education in Kashmir has been an important aspect of the region’s social and economic development. But, it faces unique challenges due to the political chaos, militancy and cross border terrorism.
Education in Kashmir witnessed a major setback as a result of terrorism and state response to it. In mid 90s, the number of school days got reduced to 60 from 210 in 1989. The major cause of setback for education system in Kashmir was political turmoil, militancy, cross border terrorism. According to the 2001 census, Kashmir had a literacy rate of just 46.4 percent against national literacy rate of 65.38 percent for the same period. Kashmir’s literacy rate lags much behind the national average and J&K is among the top ten educationally backward states of the country. Forty five percentage of school students dropout in their higher grades of education. Lack of education in any society leads to a vicious cycle of unemployment, lack of good faith in governance, protests and youth getting involved in illegal activities.
The decline in militancy and abrogation of article 370 has given a ray of hope as the education in Kashmir is improving each progressive year. As per 2011 census Jammu and Kashmir had a literacy figure of 68.74 percent compared to national average of 74 percent. In the national educational scenario, J&K is educationally backward with reference to the parameters like literacy rate, teacher-pupil ratio, drop-out rate and the absorption pattern of the educated persons. Many central govt schemes which had not reached the people of Kashmir like Mid-day Meal, Shagun Shiksha, Sarva Siksha, Inclusive education of the Disabled at secondary stage (IEDSS), DIKSHA, Scheme for providing Quality Education at Primary School Level were not within reach of Kashmiris before abrogation of article 370. In the budget 2023-24, Rs 1522 crore has been allocated to the education sector. This year the government has set a target to open 2000 Kindergartens, to provide quality pre-primary education, 188 virtual reality labs, 40 robotic labs, Nearly 1000 smart classrooms with LCD and high-speed internet connectivity and ten residential schools in Kashmir this year with a preference for tribal students and students from weaker sections.
The effects of improvement in education sector can be directly seen in the steady decline in militancy in Kashmir. The youth is now better educated, responsible and also bringing good repute to the Kashmiri people at national and international stage events. In conclusion, education in Kashmir faces several unique challenges due to the region’s geopolitical circumstances. However, the people of Kashmir are committed to providing quality education to their children, and the government has also taken steps improve access to education in the region. With continued efforts, it is possible to overcome the challenges and build a robust education system that will benefit the region’s future generations.
