Srinagar, February 5, 2026 : Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (JKPDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday strongly criticised the J&K government over what she termed sustained underfunding of Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University (BGSBU), Pir Panjal, warning that the premier institution is being pushed towards a phase of “managed decline”.
Mufti said the university, which was established to provide quality higher education and spur social and economic development in the Pir Panjal region, is today facing institutional abandonment due to drastic cuts in capital funding over the years.
Citing official data, she pointed out that capital allocation to BGSBU stood at ₹562.50 lakh in 2019–20, increased to ₹848.43 lakh in 2020–21 and ₹703.88 lakh in 2021–22, but thereafter witnessed a steep decline. The allocation fell to ₹422.98 lakh in 2022–23, further dropped to ₹183.11 lakh in 2023–24, and hit a low of just ₹44.00 lakh in 2024–25. Although the allocation has marginally increased to ₹187.00 lakh in 2025–26, Mufti said it remains grossly inadequate.
“These figures expose a shocking pattern of neglect. Capital infusion that once crossed ₹700–800 lakh during 2020–22 has been slashed to a mere ₹44 lakh in 2024–25. This is not budgetary prudence; it is deliberate institutional abandonment,” she said.
The former chief minister cautioned that continued neglect of BGSBU could cause irreparable damage to one of the most important higher education institutions in the Pir Panjal region, which caters largely to students from remote and marginalised areas.
Mehbooba Mufti urged the government to urgently address the funding shortfall in the upcoming budget and restore adequate capital support to ensure the university’s academic and infrastructural growth.
In a post on social media platform X, she reiterated her concern, stating:
“Deeply troubling to see the steady depletion of funds to Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University in Pir Panjal. From over ₹700–800 lakh in 2020–22 to a shocking ₹44 lakh in 2024–25, this is not fiscal tightening, it is institutional abandonment. BGSBU was founded to uplift a marginalised region. Starving it of funds betrays that vision and must be urgently corrected.”
Her remarks have once again brought focus on higher education funding in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly for institutions serving remote and underdeveloped regions.
