Mehbooba Mufti expresses concern over BGSBU crisis
Srinagar : In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti has expressed serious concern over the deterioration of academic, administrative and financial affairs at Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), Rajouri.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mehbooba Mufti in a statement issued in Srinagar said BGSBU holds immense significance for the people of the Pir Panjal region and was established to provide quality higher education to students from Rajouri, Poonch and adjoining areas. She said the institution cannot be allowed to weaken on account of prolonged administrative and financial difficulties.
She expressed concern over the prolonged absence of regular recruitment and the continued dependence on contractual and temporary academic arrangements. She said repeated engagement of faculty on temporary terms cannot be a substitute for a transparent, regular and time-bound recruitment process, particularly in a university that caters to a large and geographically disadvantaged region.
Mehbooba Mufti also expressed concern over reports of prolonged delays in the payment of salaries to university employees. Reports in recent months have highlighted allegations of salaries remaining unpaid for several months, alongside concerns relating to stalled promotions, administrative vacancies and declining research activity. She said such uncertainty not only affects the morale and dignity of employees but also has a direct bearing on the quality and continuity of academic work.
“An institution of higher learning cannot be expected to flourish when its teachers and employees are uncertain about their salaries, departments remain dependent on temporary arrangements and legitimate career progression remains pending. BGSBU needs institutional stability, not temporary solutions,” she said.
She said the concerns surrounding BGSBU should not be viewed as isolated administrative issues but as a larger question concerning the educational future of the Pir Panjal region. For students who cannot afford to travel outside the region for higher education, the university remains a critical gateway to professional and academic opportunities.
