RTI Reveals Glaring Equipment Deficit in Automobile Engineering Department at Kashmir Govt Polytechnic
Srinagar, Aug 24, KNT: A Right to Information response from Kashmir Government Polytechnic College, Gogji Bagh here in Srinagar, has revealed a major shortage of laboratory equipment in its Automobile Engineering Department, with only three of 18 equipment items listed in the response shown as available.
The RTI response, issued by the Principal of Kashmir Government Polytechnic College in reply to an application filed by Junaid Nazir, states that most of the equipment sought for laboratory and practical training facilities is currently unavailable in the Automobile Engineering Department.
The list as per the news agency Kashmir News Trust includes equipment considered important for contemporary automobile engineering training, including BS-VI petrol and diesel engine trainers, automatic transmission trainers, vehicle diagnostic scanners, ECU training systems, CAN Bus/LIN Bus training kits, hybrid vehicle training systems, electric vehicle training laboratories, battery management system training kits, EV charging station trainers, fuel injection training kits, anti-lock braking system training kits, brake testing equipment, oscilloscopes for automotive diagnostics and CAD/CAM and simulation laboratory facilities.
According to the RTI response, none of these listed facilities is presently available in the department.
Only three items in the 18-item list have been marked as available, Emission Testing Equipment, MIG/TIG/Arc Welding Machine and a Vehicle for Driving Training Practice.
However, the Emission Testing Equipment has also been marked as non-functional.
The MIG/TIG/Arc Welding Machine and the vehicle used for driving training practice have been marked as functional.
In effect, the response indicates that only two of the 18 listed equipment facilities are presently available and functional, while the bulk of the equipment sought for practical training is unavailable.
The shortage covers several areas of modern automobile technology, including BS-VI engine systems, automatic transmission, electronic vehicle diagnostics, ECU and vehicle networking systems, hybrid and electric vehicle technology, battery management and EV charging.
The absence of such equipment could have a direct bearing on the practical exposure available to students pursuing Automobile Engineering, particularly as the automobile sector increasingly relies on electronic diagnostics, electric vehicles, hybrid systems and advanced emission-control technologies.
The RTI response also states that the department remains committed to strengthening laboratory infrastructure and practical training facilities for Diploma students of Automobile Engineering.
It further refers to the availability of funds and approval under applicable rules and procedures in connection with the required equipment.
Interestingly, the response also states that three vehicles are lying in the department which were earlier non-functional but were restored by students during their practical work. According to the department, these vehicles are now being utilized for driving and demonstration purposes.
The information has come through an RTI response furnished by the college in accordance with the Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Act, 2005, following an application submitted on August 7, 2026.
The disclosure raises questions over the adequacy of practical training infrastructure available to students enrolled in the Automobile Engineering Department and the pace at which modern laboratory facilities are being provided.
With most of the listed equipment unavailable, students pursuing technical education in automobile engineering appear to be facing a significant infrastructure gap between their prescribed field of study and the practical facilities available to them. [KNT]
© Kashmir News Trust (KNT). Unauthorized use without attribution is prohibited.
