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INDIAN ARMY - RESHAPING THE CONTOURS OF QUALITY EDUCATION IN JAMMU AND KASHMIR

1. To facilitate provisioning of quality education to population affected by terrorism in J&K was identified as a “Key Result Area” by India Army in late 1990’s. The focus of Operation Sadbhavana in J&K accordingly encompassed improving the overall core social indices through Quality Education, Women and Youth Empowerment, Infrastructure Development and Health and Veterinary Care. A major thrust is to provide education to underprivileged sections of J&K in regions eluded by development.

2. Indian Army over the years has established 46 Army Goodwill Schools and rendered assistance to approximately 1900 State Government run schools in remote areas through renovation, construction of additional class rooms, libraries, toilets, playgrounds, sports facilities, provisioning of furniture, computers, educational software packages, stationary, and books. Approximately one lakh students have benefitted in last 15 years wherein they have obtained middle and higher secondary level education.

3. The popularity of Army Goodwill Schools can be measured by the fact that there is a growing clamour by local population for opening more such schools and approximately 14,000 students are currently obtaining quality education in primary/ higher secondary levels. Approximately 840 students from economically weaker sections are receiving scholarships, the total value of which is a little above two crores for studies in schools within and outside the State. Most of the students benefitting from these scholarship schemes have also been assisted in obtaining admissions in institutes outside of Jammu and Kashmir. Besides imparting quality education the Goodwill Schools are also providing employment to qualified youth of the State. As on date nearly 1000 teaching and non teaching staff is employed in various Goodwill schools.

4. Over the years, the Army has expanded the scope of this operation and has made tremendous efforts to help these students exploit opportunities to pursue higher education. The Army has assisted nearly 565 students to obtain admission in various institutions outside the State like Pacific University, Udaipur, Global Research Institute, Kurakshetra, NOIDA International University, Greater NOIDA and Hunar-e-Tarash, a rural ministry initiative. The ‘Kashmir Super 30’ project is one such initiative, modelled after the well-known and popular ‘Super 30’ programme. The army partnered with the Centre for Social Responsibility and Leadership, and launched this project in the academic year 2013-2014

5. Twenty-three underprivileged, yet academically brilliant students were selected from all corners of the State to be trained for appearing in competitive examinations requisite for pursuing a higher education in engineering. The results were nothing short of marvellous. 17 of the 23 students found seats in prestigious engineering colleges, one student having cleared the IIT-JEE Advanced entrance examination. Although Civil Engineering seemed to be the popular option for these students, Mechanical Engineering and Chemical Engineering were a close second.

6. Encouraged by the positive result, the programme admitted 36 students for the next academic year. This initiative has achieved an inimitable success this year, with three students from this batch having cleared the IIT-JEE Advanced 2015, results of which were declared on 18 June. In the first batch one student had achieved a similar feat. The three students are Mr Zahid Ahmed Quershi of Kupwara who has secured all India 89th rank, Mr Gazi Hussain Malik of Shupiyan who has secured all India 112th rank, both in the physically challenged category and Mr Ajaz Ali of Kargil who secured all India 598th rank in ST category. In other engineering examinations, nine students are cleared for NIT, Srinagar counselling, nine students for AMU and nine for counselling of JKCET.

7. The state of J&K has a unique mix of population which also comprises Gujjar/Bakarwals in sizeable numbers. This nomadic group migrates every year in summer’s months to upper reaches and to the lower foothills in the winters. While doing so they traverse all three distinct regions of the State. In order to ensure that their children get quality basic and middle school education, Indian Army is runnings special “Shepherds Schools”, a one of its kind initiative at various receiving areas which are frequented regularly by the nomadic groups. In the current year 165 such children are being given quality education at summers schools located at Tosha Maidan, Jumagund, Mandian & Kundian and Lokut Bangas, Kupwara.

8. Initiatives likes these are reassuring not only because of the positive numbers and results, but also because in these initiatives exists a possibility of socially uplifting a section of the society which not only suffers socioeconomically but also lives under a constant threat of geopolitical instability. Education is a tool that might prove to be very effective in encouraging social mobility. The initiatives undertaken through Operation Sadbhavna - from large-scale schooling efforts of Army Goodwill Schools to the ‘Kashmir Super 30’ project- may as well be testimony to the fact.