Jammu, May 1:
The Jammu & Kashmir Border Area Development Conference (JK-BADC) has demanded complete transparency and public accountability in the functioning of the J&K Pahari Speaking Board, raising serious concerns over the management of student hostels across the Union Territory.
In a press statement issued here today, Dr. Shazad Ahmed Malik, Chairman of the JK-BADC and former Vice Chancellor, urged the Lieutenant Governor’s administration and the Social Welfare Department to step in and review the Board’s operations.
Key Demands for Public Accountability
Dr. Shazad, who belongs to the tribal community and leads the registered welfare body for border and tribal residents, stressed that the Board’s original mandate to serve deserving students is being compromised by a lack of public oversight.
“The Board was set up to serve students from the Pahari-speaking community, but it has been working without any public accountability. Hostels under its management are meant to provide shelter to poor and deserving students, most of whom come from far-flung border areas. Any mismanagement here directly damages their future.”
— Dr. Shazad Ahmed Malik, Chairman, JK-BADC
The BADC Chairman highlighted the critical issues faced by the students and outlined several core demands:
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Financial Disclosures: Make full details of funds received and spent by the Board available to the public.
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Hostel Conditions: Publish comprehensive reports on the present physical condition of all Pahari hostels.
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Student Data: Share the exact number of resident students and the specific admission criteria being followed.
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Basic Amenities: Disclose details regarding food quality, quantity, and the exact expenditures dedicated to these facilities.
Protecting the Future of Border Students
The BADC emphasized that the students utilizing these hostels belong to highly humble backgrounds, with families making immense personal sacrifices to send them to the cities for education. Dr. Shazad insisted that these students have an absolute right to proper food, clean accommodation, and reliable basic facilities.
“Whether they are actually getting all this or not, nobody knows, because the Board has never made anything public,” Dr. Shazad remarked, asserting that there should be no secrecy when public money is utilized for student welfare.
The JK-BADC has called on the LG administration to investigate the matter immediately to ensure that government resources and welfare benefits reach the rightful, deserving students.
