LEH: The Agriculture & Allied Students Union of Ladakh (AASUL), supported by all major student bodies in the Union Territory, has urged the Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare to expedite the transfer of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) in Ladakh from SKUAST-Kashmir to the University of Ladakh.
In a joint memorandum submitted on November 19, the unions said the six-year delay in implementing provisions of the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, has left Ladakh’s agriculture graduates disadvantaged and key institutional responsibilities stranded outside the region.
The Act mandates that institutions located in Ladakh must be transferred to the UT administration on an “as-is-where-is” basis. Although most departments have shifted post-bifurcation, the four KVKs in Ladakh remain under the administrative jurisdiction of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences & Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), the memorandum stated.
The unions alleged that the continued control by SKUAST-K enables the filling of vacancies for its own benefit, undermining Ladakh’s agricultural prospects and limiting opportunities for local graduates. They said the delay ignores repeated requests from the UT administration, public representatives and the University of Ladakh.
Student leaders argued that the University of Ladakh has completed all formalities to assume administrative charge, including establishment of dedicated colleges for agriculture and horticulture in line with ICAR norms. Land transfer documents for the KVKs have also been finalized, they noted.
Concerns over the issue were deliberated at a recent joint meeting of student associations across the UT. Members warned of growing resentment among educated youth, asserting that prolonged uncertainty could trigger unrest if not addressed promptly.
Following the meeting, copies of the representation were forwarded to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, the Union Home Ministry, Chief Secretaries of J&K and Ladakh, senior ICAR officials and the Vice Chancellors of both SKUAST-K and the University of Ladakh.
The unions maintained that bringing the KVKs under local administration would strengthen research capability, enhance extension services and support Ladakh’s farming community. Continued control from outside the UT, they observed, leads to inefficient resource use, delayed decisions and weak accountability.
The memorandum concluded with a plea for urgent ministerial intervention to resolve a matter pending since the bifurcation of the erstwhile state in 2019.
