Ladakh gets its First University
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 3, 2019 inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of first ever University of Ladakh.The Jammu region has four universities besides an IIT and an IIMC, while the Kashmir Valley has three universities and a National Institute of Technology (NIT).
After the inauguration, Modi said Ladakh now has first cluster university comprising degree colleges of Leh, Kargil, Nubra, Zanskar, Drass and Khaltsi. The Bill aims at setting up a University for entire Ladakh, as a Cluster University. It will get Rs 65 Crore from Government of India from the next academic session as an initial grant. The University will fulfil a long-standing demand of the people of Ladakh region. The already functioning 3 Degree Colleges of Kargil district will be affiliated to the Cluster University of Ladakh with Degree College Leh constituting the lead college. All the new colleges to be set up in future in Ladakh region are envisaged to be constituents of affiliated with the Cluster University of Ladakh. There are five Degree Colleges functioning in Ladakh region, one each at Leh and Nubra in Leh district and one each at Kargil, Zanskar and Drass in Kargil district. All five colleges are presently affiliated with the University of Kashmir.
(Source: Leaf/Facebook)
Ladakh region with a population of 2.75 lakh as per 2011 census has a student population of 40%. As per the rough estimates, around 90% of students from Ladakh have enrolled in different Universities across the country for studies and the remaining 10% study in Ladakh. The establishment of Cluster University in Ladakh will provide the equitable opportunity to the students of Ladakh region to pursue various undergraduate, post-graduate and diploma courses in different streams and subjects through regular mode without any displacement from their region. It will reduce the responsibility of other Universities in the state/country and enable Colleges of Ladakh region to enhance their capacities to become dynamic, demand-driven and quality conscious. With its unique topography and difficult terrain, in addition to the introduction of fundamental courses, a University in Ladakh will offer specialized subjects in the domain of Mountain Studies, Environmental Studies, Climate Change Studies, Glacier and Water Studies, Geology, Sustainability and other fields of sciences, which can add value and meaning to the higher studies programme for the regional students.
Ladakhi students during a protest in New Delhi demanding a separate varsity for the region.
(Source: Leaf/Facebook)
Credit for the establishment of Ladakh University goes to the various student associations in Leh and Kargil, who have, for the time being, set aside regional differences to unite on a single issue.
(Source: Leaf/Facebook)
These students feel that Ladakhis shouldn't have to endure such difficulties. They must have the option of studying at home with access to quality education, they insist. Families that can afford the expenses send their children to Delhi, Chandigarh, Jammu, and Srinagar. Children from families that can't afford it drop out of school or college and get into the tourism business or join up with the Ladakh Scouts regiment. Divisions between those who leave Ladakh, and others who can't, play along class lines and provoke inspiration or low self-esteem among those who stay back.
As a result of this 'forced migration', the youth of Ladakh are losing touch with their culture and identity, not to mention the burden it takes on our economy, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal tells The Better India.
LG Mathur launches Ladakh University web portal Leh, Dec 26
Lieutenant Governor Union Territory of Ladakh R.K Mathur launched the University of Ladakh (UOL) official website (www.universityofladakh.org.in) which is indigenously developed by NIELIT Leh followed by launch of Ladakh University Common Entrance Test (LUCET) prospectus by the guests. The Audiovisual Advertisement of UOL was also launched by Chairman/CEC LAHDC, Leh Gyal P. Wangyal on the occasion. LG Mathur addressing the programme said that it is a privilege for him to be part of the first function of the new university of Ladakh. He added that Tourism and Agriculture may or may not last in the long term future of Ladakh but higher education is something which can't be taken away from a child and future generation of Ladakh. He said that UT Administration must focus very intensely on higher education as a priority sector and added that it would be his endeavour to do anything that is possible to support the University of Ladakh. LG said that higher education has been receiving new impetus all over the county as new education policy has been brought out by GoI and is in the process of finalization and the fundamentals of new education policy say that at least 50% of the eligible children must go in for higher education and secondly all education must be interdisciplinary. It would be an endeavour to make sure that we fall in line with the new education policy as and when the same is approved, added LG. Talking about the importance of vocational education around the world, Mathur said that vocational part will be very important for Ladakh because of the need of expertise in different fields like tourism, travel management, agriculture, horticulture, Pashmina etc.
