Srinagar, July 25: Degree holders in Kashmiri said the government was denying them job opportunities by not making the language a compulsory subject in schools.

The School Education Department on July 19, 2017, issued an order, making it mandatory for the secondary as well as higher secondary schools to teach Kashmiri language to their 9th and 10th class students.

The schools were asked to make language a compulsory subject from this year, yet many are lagging behind.

“In many schools, the subject continues to be optional. We ourselves conducted the survey, and found many schools where the subject was taught as an optional,” Hilal Fayaz, a degree holder in Kashmiri, said.

“Government Boy’s Higher Secondary Schools at Kulgam, Bugam, and Bandipora figure among them.”

He said around 2,000 youth with degrees in Kashmiri were jobless.

“We were hopeful that we will get jobs, but we have to move from pillar to post for employement,” said a scholar, Abdul Qarim.

Qarim said they met with the authorities concerned several times in connection with the issue.

“Despite assurances, nothing has happened,” he said.

Secretary School Education Department, Rigzian Samuel, said he would look into the matter.

“If the order has been issued, it will be strictly followed,” he said.