Haroon Reshi

Why KU’s north, south campuses may miss NITI Aayog research funds?

Why KU’s north, south campuses may miss NITI Aayog research funds?

Academics pitch for creating research schools in satellite campuses

Srinagar: While appreciating Kashmir University’s decision to grant recognition to its North and South campuses as research centers, many academics suggest that research schools should also be created in these satellite campuses to make them eligible for NITI Aayog research funding. They say that creating new schools/faculties at North and South campuses of the university […]

 Haroon Reshi

Spare the rod and let the child grow

Spare the rod and let the child grow

Kashmir debates corporal punishment as video showing teacher hitting a student goes viral

Last week, a video clip showing a teacher repeatedly slapping a student’s face —18 times in less than a minute— at a coaching center in Srinagar went viral on social media, causing widespread outrage among the masses. The public uproar over the incident prompted authorities to take cognizance, and eventually, police registered an FIR and […]

 Haroon Reshi

Smart parenting is about gate-keeping too: Saving children from being preyed upon by communication gadgets

Smart parenting is about gate-keeping too: Saving children from being preyed upon by communication gadgets

By Haroon Reshi The devices with the Internet have become key drivers of social evolution in every part of the world. They are simply unavoidable because of their evolutionary and advantageous role in our day-to-day lives. These gadgets have eased our lives in many ways; they provide us — to the people of all age […]

 Haroon Reshi

First make Srinagar liveable then let it graduate to smartness

First make Srinagar liveable then let it graduate to smartness

Like any other city, Srinagar —the largest city and the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir— is growing in terms of its population, housing, traffic and so on, with each passing day. The exponential growth, over the years, has resulted in several problems facing the people here. The problems include overcrowding, traffic congestion, shortage of […]

 Haroon Reshi

Of Optimism and Hope: Making Sense of Latest Thaw in India-Pakistan Relations

Of Optimism and Hope: Making Sense of Latest Thaw in India-Pakistan Relations

Have India and Pakistan finally decided to end the long-standing impasse in their bilateral relations, and to restore the halted communication links between the two countries? Looking at the thaw, beginning from the renewal of the LoC ceasefire last month, and subsequent encouraging statements from both sides, the answer seems to be a big yes. […]

 Haroon Reshi

Child Rights, Child Abuse & The Culture Of Denial

Child Rights, Child Abuse & The Culture Of Denial

To ensure that our children are safe and their rights are protected, Kashmir desperately needs a massive awareness campaign about child abuse

The “child rights”, by their nature are economic, social, psychological, physical and cultural rights. Any kind of violation of children’s rights is ‘child abuse’. Child abuse is an umbrella term that refers to physical, sexual and psychological maltreatment of children. In addition, child abuse includes failure to act by parents, teachers, and other caregivers to […]

 Haroon Reshi

A breath of fresh air for LoC dwellers

A breath of fresh air for LoC dwellers

The revival of ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan may have been just breaking news for the world but it is the question of death and life for those who stand in the line of fire. They are the ones the worst victims of border skirmishes and thus have every right to celebrate. 

The people residing along the Line of Control (LoC) have a reason to smile as India and Pakistan recently reassured to adhere to the ceasefire agreed in 2003 between the two countries. The decision has rekindled hope of peaceful days ahead among the people living in these areas however, given the past experience, there are […]

 Haroon Reshi

NEP – Challenges, Chances; Obstacles, Opportunities

NEP – Challenges, Chances; Obstacles, Opportunities

Amid some obstacles, challenges, and financial constraints, Jammu and Kashmir, like other parts across India, has started a process to implement National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. To begin with, the UT government has formed two task force groups to ensure proper implementation of the first phase of NEP which is expected to be implemented by […]

 Haroon Reshi

Kashmir’s Missing Mutton

Kashmir’s Missing Mutton

Mutton, the all-time favourite diet of Kashmiri populace, is missing from the markets. The non-availability of mutton has created a crisis like situation in Kashmir where people consume around a whopping 51,000 tons of mutton annually. 

The trouble started in November last year when Mutton Price Fixation Committee headed by Divisional Commissioner Kashmir came up with a new price list — 480 rupees per Kg — for the retail meat sellers. They refused the government fixed rate giving birth to a crisis that continues even today. Saturday, Feb 27, divisional administration […]

 Haroon Reshi

Schooling in the times of pandemic

Schooling in the times of pandemic

Schools in Kashmir will be opening on March 01 after a long gap of 19 months. Students, parents, teachers – all are thrilled but apprehensive too. Thrill is that students and teachers will be where they should have been. And the apprehension is that are our educational institutions comfortably equipped to maintain Covid-19 SOPs.

Students, parents, and other stakeholders seem to be feeling a little bit apprehensive, yet delighted, on the government’s decision to reopen schools in the Valley for academic activities on March 1, after a prolonged closure. Apprehensive – because they fear whether the school managements would be able to follow all COVID -19 Standard Operating Procedures […]