PMSSS scam: Kashmir students in soup

Srinager: Prime Minister’s Special Scholarship Scheme for students of J &K has turned out to be a chaos. Students who have applied for the scholarships alleged that they have been misled by the scheme which appears to be a scam. A group of kashmiri students at Rawal institutions faridabad haryana were not allowed to sit in exams as the first paper of BHM course at their collage has been conducted but they kashmiri students were not allowed to sit in exams.

"Bearing our expenses very hardly now we are in fifth sem, waiting for this scholarship scheme for about 3 years but unfortunately nothing came for BHM students and many left the course due to nonaffordability of expenses" a student Marouf told over phone. Now, from more than 38 students some 16 are left but they seem their career is at stake as collage authorities have said at no price they will allow them to exams unless they pay their collage fees a group of students told. We are not in any condition to afford such fees .It is certain that our career is go gone unless something mariculous happens. Please help us as very limited time has left they qouted.

Their next paper is on 19th of December and they have not got any roll number slip yet. They left the Valley with hope for a brighter future after the announcement of the Prime Minister's Special Scholarship Scheme in 2012 but hundreds of Kashmiri students are groping in the dark as funds are yet to reach them. Liyakat Ahmed, a Bachelors in HM student at a Rajasthan college, is too embarrassed to return home after his college authorities asked him to leave the course at 5th semester over non-payment of fees for which he was granted scholarship.

"Out of a total of 38 students who were admitted to the college, only 16 have continued their collage to 5th semester," said Ahmed, who hails from Kargil in Jammu and Kashmir. He had taken admission at College in 2012 under the AICTE scheme. "We cannot pay the fees, we are clueless as to what to do... our career and life is at stake," he said. "On ist year every thing was going smoothly and we all 38 students were happy but in 3rd semester collage authorites asked us to leave collage and they did not issued roll number slips but after meeting the NGO in Srinager and other Political members we were allowe to callage, not mess and forced us to take PG outside collage campus after 3rd semester" said a student from the group.

"The college has not received the scholarship money from the concerned department. Now, they are not letting me complete the course or even sit for the examination," Ahmad claimed. The group of students including Haroon Ahmad, Mohd Aslam, Masroof Ahmad, Umar, Imtiyaz, Liyakat, Firdouse, Yaseen,Aadil and others who are in 5th semester of BHM course in the same collage. As per the students their Per sem fee is 35 thousands & hostel fee is 85 thousand annually.

Sources said that several NGOs engaged in the scholarship programme have impaneled institutes which are not up to the mark and this is coming in the way of proper execution of the scholarship. Students and their parents accused a local non governmentorganization for playing foul, demanding State authorities to intervene in a matter.

A local kashmiri young social activist told that State Government should talk to centre as soon as possible as it is the matter of dozens of youths career and he said such students can become danger either for themselves or for others who might loss 3 years of their career. Despite repeated efforts neither AICTE officials nor any one from collage adminstration were available to comment. The writer is a freelance journalist who can be followed on [email protected]

By Beigh Irshad