SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir government has no proposal to establish an Institute of Hotel Management in Pahalgam, Education Minister Sakeena Itoo informed the Legislative Assembly on Thursday.
Responding to a question raised by MLA Altaf Ahmad Wani, the Minister clarified that hotel management is a professional qualification requiring a distinct academic structure, which is not currently offered as a degree programme in government colleges under the Higher Education Department.
Meanwhile, she provided an update on the long-pending issue of a Government Degree College at Aishmuqam, stating that the college—sanctioned in February 2019 under the name Pahalgam-Siligam/Aishmuqam Degree College—was initially set up in a makeshift facility at Government Boys High School, Aishmuqam. However, a dispute between residents of Siligam and Aishmuqam over its location led to a legal battle, resulting in a High Court stay order.
“The district administration had identified land for the college at Village Akad, opposite Akad Park, but due to objections from both villages, the matter escalated to court,” the Minister said.
She added that while the academic session commenced in 2020-21, it was later disrupted due to the legal dispute. Consequently, enrolled male students were shifted to Government Degree College (GDC) Boys Anantnag, while female students were relocated to GDC for Women, Anantnag.
The Minister assured the House that the Higher Education Department is actively pursuing the case in the High Court and that the college will be made functional at the earliest once the matter is resolved.
