Extending winter vacations: College students to lose almost a month of academic cycle

Srinagar, Feb 25: The government’s move to extend the winter vacations in Kashmir colleges will eat up almost a month of the regular academic cycle.
The vacations as per the initial order were supposed to end on February 11.
Citing ‘inclement weather’, however, the authorities first extended them to February 18 and then again to February 22.
Interestingly, even as the weather was balmy, the divisional administration, on late evening of February 22, passed another order and extended the vacations till March 2, directing the colleges to open from March 5 (March 3 and 4 being holidays).
“Colleges have been directed to extend vacations up to March 2 and with the following two days being public holidays, all colleges across the Kashmir division will reopen on March 5,” he said, adding that the decision has been taken in view of the “inclement weather conditions prevalent in the division”.
Noted educationist, Prof Bashir Ahmad Dar, told The Kashmir Monitor that the education department has recommended academic calendar of 220 working days and accordingly the colleges should have framed and followed their academic calendar.
“If not 220 days at least 180 minimum days should have been framed in the academic session. Unfortunately our institutions are not working with the proper strategy,” he said.
Dar added that the extension in the vacation is also for the “Darbar move students as they are still in Jammu while putting the rest of the students of the valley on hold.”
Secretary Higher Education, Sarita Chauhan said “due the inclement weather roads leading to the valley have been blocked which makes travelling difficult.”
“We have got calls from the students who are outside Kashmir that they cannot reach the valley due to the blocked roads, so we have to act accordingly,” said Sarita.
She added that they will provide e-content to compensate the loss of the academic time to the students.