Minister for Higher Education and School Education, Sakeena Itoo, today informed the House that there is no proposal at present to establish Institute of Hotel Management at Pahalgam.

The Minister said this while replying to a question raised by Altaf Ahmad Wani.

The Minister informed that Hotel Management is not offered as a degree program in colleges, adding that it is a professional qualification that requires a distinct academic structure, different from the four-year degree programme currently offered in colleges of the Higher Education Department.

Regarding establishment of Government Degree College at Aishmuqam, the Minister informed the House that Government Degree College with the nomenclature of Pahalgam-Siligam/Aishmuqam was sanctioned in February 2019 and same was established in a makeshift accommodation at Government Boys High School, Aishmuqam.

She added that the district administration had also identified a patch of land for the purpose at Village Akad opposite Akad park. She informed that, due to dispute between the residents of two villages of Siligam and Aishmuqam over the location of the College, the matter resulted in a court case and the High Court has passed stay orders.

The Minister further informed that the academic session 2020-21 had also been started but that came to halt and the enrolled male students were shifted to GDC Boys Anantnag while female students were relocated to GDC for Women, Anantnag. She added that the department is vigorously following the case in the High Court and as soon as case is disposed off, the College shall be made functional within the shortest possible time.