Students urge completion of long-delayed Govt Degree College building in Rajpora

Pulwama, Apr 17: Students from various areas in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district have urged the concerned authorities to expedite the construction of the Government Degree College (GDC) building in Rajpora, which has been pending for the past five years.
The students said the main college building near the Sports Stadium has remained incomplete for several years, forcing them to study in makeshift arrangements.
Mursaleen Shabeer, a student at the college, said that until recently, their classes were held in a nearby primary school. “Our classes were shifted to the new campus just a few days ago,” she said, “However, we are studying in fabricated huts as the main building is still under construction.”
She said construction work on these huts has also been ongoing for the last two years. “The continuous construction activity creates noise and disrupts the teaching-learning process,” Mursaleen said, “There is no electricity supply in the classrooms, rendering the smart boards non-functional.”
She appealed to the authorities to complete the construction of the main building at the earliest so that proper academic facilities can be ensured.
Another student, Farhan Javid, said the foundation stone of the college building was laid in 2020, yet construction has dragged on for five years. “Many students come from far-flung areas and face immense inconvenience attending classes in huts,” he said, adding that they request the authorities to complete the construction work without further delay so students don’t continue to suffer.
Principal of Government Degree College Rajpora, Prof (Dr) Gazala Gaiys acknowledged the students’ concerns, saying the administration is making every effort to improve facilities on campus. She said the fabricated huts were initially scheduled for completion by March 2025, but delays have persisted. “The incomplete construction is certainly a concern,” she said.
Prof Gaiys added that the college campus would soon receive an electricity connection and water connections have already been provided.
Regarding the main building, the Principal said she has raised the matter with the local MLA and higher authorities several times, but the issue remains unresolved.