Munish Sood
Mandi
The proposed closure of Government Degree College, Kotli, has once again triggered a political and public debate in Mandi district, with educationists, social activists and local residents questioning why an institution established to serve rural youth has been allowed to reach the brink of closure.
Former Pro-Vice Chancellor and noted academician Prof. Anupama Singh has termed the move a serious injustice to the youth of the region, stating that the closure of the college would adversely affect hundreds of students, particularly girls and those from economically weaker families who depend on local educational institutions for higher studies.
She said the issue was not merely about shutting down a college but about limiting educational opportunities for an entire region. According to her, if enrolment was declining, the solution should have been to strengthen the institution through new courses, improved infrastructure and better academic opportunities rather than closing it altogether.
However, the controversy has now moved beyond education and entered the political arena.
Residents are asking a simple but uncomfortable question: If low enrolment was indeed the problem, what concrete steps were taken during the last three-and-a-half years to improve the situation?
Local voices argue that the college was left without meaningful expansion, professional courses, skill-development programmes and other facilities that could have attracted students. As a result, many students opted for institutions offering better academic and career prospects.
Critics contend that the state government cannot escape responsibility by citing low attendance when it failed to invest in making the college viable and competitive.
The issue has become even more sensitive because a similar notification regarding the college had surfaced last year as well. At the time, local MLA Anil Sharma had publicly claimed that his intervention had led to the revocation of the decision and that the status quo would be maintained.
That assurance had brought relief to students, parents and local residents.
Now, with the closure issue resurfacing, fresh questions are being raised across the constituency.
What changed within a year? Why has the same threat returned despite earlier assurances? If the issue had been resolved, who allowed the situation to deteriorate again?
Equally important is another question being asked by many residents: Why has there been silence from the local MLA at a time when the future of one of the region’s most important educational institutions is under threat?
The absence of a strong public response has only deepened concerns among students and parents who are desperately seeking clarity regarding their future.
The practical implications of the closure are equally worrying. Students from Kotli and surrounding villages may now be forced to travel 25 to 30 kilometres or more each day to pursue higher education. For many rural families, already struggling with rising expenses, this additional burden could prove unaffordable.
For female students, the challenge is even greater. In many villages, access to a nearby college often determines whether a girl can continue her education after school. Longer travel distances may compel some families to discontinue their daughters’ higher studies altogether.
Adding his voice to the growing concern, social worker Bhaskar Thakur of Kotli described the proposed closure as a betrayal of rural youth.
“Students did not abandon Kotli College overnight. For years, the institution was denied the courses, facilities and academic opportunities that could have attracted and retained students. Instead of strengthening the college, authorities allowed it to weaken and are now citing low enrolment as a reason for closure. This is unfair to the youth of the area,” he said.
Thakur further stated that the closure would disproportionately affect students from economically weaker backgrounds.
“Not every family can afford to send their children 25 to 30 kilometres away every day for higher education. Many students, especially girls from remote villages, may simply be forced to give up their studies. A college in a rural area is not merely a building; it is a gateway to opportunity, empowerment and social progress,” he added.
Referring to last year’s developments, Thakur questioned why the issue had resurfaced despite assurances that the matter had been resolved.
“If the threat to the college was removed last year, why has it returned again? The people of Kotli deserve clear answers. Students and parents cannot be expected to live under constant uncertainty regarding their future,” he said.
Prof. Anupama Singh has urged the government to reconsider the decision and hold meaningful consultations with students, parents and local stakeholders before taking any irreversible step.
As public concern grows, the Kotli College issue is increasingly being viewed not merely as an education matter but as a test of the government’s commitment to rural development and youth empowerment.
For many residents, the question is no longer just about a college.
It is about whether rural students are being asked to pay the price for years of official neglect.
And as the controversy gathers momentum, one question continues to resonate across Kotli and the surrounding areas:
Was Kotli College allowed to weaken so that it could eventually be closed, or did those entrusted with protecting it simply fail to do their job?
