Established in 2005, Govt. Degree College, Uri initially functioned in a prefabricated structure operating from the premises of Govt. Higher Secondary School, Uri. Subsequently, the college sought funds, to the tune of Rs. 10.78 Crore under the Special Scheme of Prime Minister’s Reconstruction Programme through UGC for development and construction. The main building was constructed by JKPCC Ltd. and awaits formal hand over to the Department of Higher Education. The building comprises of six spacious Classrooms, 5 Laboratories for Chemistry, Botany, Zoology, Physics, Computer Sciences besides a Herbarium room, Museum, Washrooms, Staff room, Conference rooms and an Auditorium of 300 seats capacity. The college has a sanctioned teaching staff capacity of 23 members besides Principal and non-teaching staff capacity of 19. The staff at present is overall young, talented and dedicated. The institution provides fully equipped state-of-art, modern laboratory facilities to the students, which are not less than the facilities provided in any other institution of the state.
The institution has streams of science, humanities and commerce. Since the modern technology has opened new vistas of communication in knowledge and education, it has also posed the challenges for the students and teachers, as they have to face competition at the state, national as well as international level. Although the institution offers admission in limited subjects in basic sciences, humanities and commerce, but our commitment to excellence and consolidation in quality is firm and unshakable. In addition to these courses subjects like Public Administration, Kashmiri, Music and Fine Art, Food Technology, Geography and Geology are also under active consideration for introduction in coming days.
This year the college shall achieve another milestone, as it has opted for accreditation by NAAC (National Accreditation as Assessment Council of Govt. of India). NAAC accredits the Higher Education Institutions, after a self-study report presented by the colleges and further cross checked by the NAAC Peer team. It provides a chance to the institution to grow on specific benchmarks fixed by the national and international organizations. Although we are aware of our limitations in academics and other related fields, but we are aware of the opportunity, which the circumstances have offered. The young institution has the potential to catch-up with the growth curve it finds itself in, since it does not carry the burden of hardened attitudes and outdated traditions. This institution being a young one can easily accept the change and adopt to a course of progress which in tune with the best practices of established institutions of national and international repute.
The institution is abreast with the modalities described in the recently framed National Education Policy – 2020 and is satisfactorily moving ahead and touching milestones of progress and desirable goals laid in NEP 2020.
Tehsil Uri attained a historical importance after 1947 as it was annexed to Baramulla District after being a part of District Muzaffarabad (Now in POK). The main town comprises of two higher secondary schools (boys and girls), a Sub-District Hospital and other educational and administrative offices. It is spread over an area of 3 kilometers, whereas other inhabited areas are spread over a radius of 30 kilometers, comprised of tough, hilly and border terrains. The college is a seat of attraction for the students within a radius of 5 to 30 kilometers of the villages like Uroosa, Silikote, Basgran, Kamalkote, Nambla, Shahdara, Salamabad, Dachi, Tilawari, Balkote, Garkote, Lagama, Bandi, Paranpillan, Dawaran, Mohra, Gingal, Bijhama, Lachipora, Mayian, Salamabad Dachina, Bagna, Chandanwari, Rampore, Boniyar, Nowshera, Chahlan, Limber, Zamboor Pattan etc. Villages like Kamalkote, Gohallan, Chrunda, Dulanja, Silikote, Lachipora and Zamboor Pattan are located just on the LOC and form a semi-circle around Uri Tehsil. Uri was in limelight during the recent past for the devastating earthquake of 8th October’2005 which measured 7.4 on the Richter scale, the earthquake did not leave even a single structure unshaken, destroying almost entire Muzaffarabad town on the other side of LOC leaving scores dead in this part besides thousand in Muzaffarabad.
Mohura Powerhouse: It was in the year 1907, during the reign of Maharaja Pratap Singh, that the British designed a 25-cycle hydroelectricity plant of 4000 kilowatts at Mohra. After some years, conversion from 25 to 50 cycles machinery costing about 2 crores of rupees was set up to add 600 kilowatts to the existing capacity. Srinagar, Sopore, Baramulla and Gulmarg towns were supplied electricity from this power station. This was only the second powerhouse in India, the first being at Mysore. The distinct feature of this powerhouse is its wooden canal, made entirely out of local Deodar which lifted water from the foothills of Boniyar covering 9 km length.
The town has a tint of Punjabi culture so far as the men and manners of the people are concerned. The people of Uri due to a serene climate and sky touching snowy peaks have a tremendous natural I.Q and can compete any race in any capacity if provided a proper exposure and education. The area is dominated by a multilingual culture as they speak Pahari, Urdu, Punjabi, Gojri as well as Kashmiri. It provides shortest road connectivity to Poonch via Aliabad and Hajipir through a distance of 57 km.
Uri is key link for cross LOC trade, famous for two mega power projects i.e. Uri I and Uri II and a reserve of gypsum, which is being extracted for manufacturing Plaster of Paris. The forests are full of herbs which have a great medicinal value.
There have been successful attempts to grow olive, oranges and lemon by the Agriculture and Horticulture Department and the people have introduced cultivation of these fruits as regular practice.