Over 15 posts of CEOs & equivalent vacant in J&K
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Apr 14: The Education department in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir appears to be the least priority of the Government as more than 15 posts of Chief Education Officers (CEOs) and equivalent, are lying vacant while about 50 Educational Zones, 134 Govt Higher Secondary Schools and 167 Govt High Schools are lying headless.
Official sources said that education system in the Jammu and Kashmir is heading towards collapse and if the corrective measures are not taken at this juncture, the hapless children/students, specially from the rural areas of the Jammu and Kashmir, will be left to face the consequences, for the fault of the people at the `helm of affairs’ in the JKUT.
Sources further revealed that factors like very slow movement of files in the offices, carelessness, lack of timely reviews by the senior officers, favouritism and over burdened minister, are responsible for the long delays in filling up of these vacancies on time. Not only this, over 35 to 50% the posts of Lecturers/ Masters/ Teachers are lying vacant in many schools and with this, the study of the students is badly affected. The routine administrative works in the educational institutions are also hit with this attitude of neglect by the authorities concerned.
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With the shortage of staff, many officers including CEOs, ZEOs, Principals of Govt Higher Secondary Schools and Headmasters are holding double or in some cases triple charges. It is irony that one DDO has been accorded multiple charges making mockery of the system. Under such circumstances they are unable to do justice with their actual job assigned. Even the private schools are also indirectly affected with the headless educational institutions.
Data compiled from various sources in the Education Department in Kashmir and Jammu besides the Administrative department revealed that currently over 15 posts of Chief Education Officers & equivalent, are lying vacant in the Jammu and Kashmir. CEO Rajouri has been given the charge of CEO Poonch and Principal DIET Rajouri in addition to his own duties, exerting extra burden on the officer. Similarly, CEO Doda has been given the additional charge of the post of CEO Ramban.
Besides this, the post of CEO Pulwama, CEO Bandipora are also lying vacant while the post of CEO Shopian is falling vacant during this month. The equivalent posts including, Heads/Principals of DIET Poonch, DIET Rajouri, Kud, Badgam, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Baramulla, Kupwara, Anantnag, Srinagar and Shopian are also lying vacant. Three equivalent posts of CEOs (Coordinators) in SAMAGRA, two that of Joint Directors and two in SCERT have also fallen vacant, seeking Governments attention. Despite public outcry and issue raised the by public representatives, the issue has remained unresolved.
The data has further revealed that about 50 posts of Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs) are lying vacant in the UT. Even in Jammu district out of the 14 Educational Zones 9 posts are lying vacant. About 40 % Govt High Schools out of 165 are lying headless while, two-three GHSSs are without Principals out of total 78.
In Kathua, out of 12 Educational Zones, 9 are lying headless. Over 45 Govt High Schools are also without Headmasters while five Higher Secondary Schools are headless.
In Rajouri district, nine Educational Zones are lying headless out of total 15; 19 Higher Secondary Schools are headless while 37 Govt High Schools are without Headmasters. In Doda, six Educational Zones out of 10 are headless, 30 Govt High Schools do not have Headmasters while 13 Higher Secondary Schools are also headless.
Not only this, in district Doda 255 posts of Lecturers, out of sanctioned strength of 640 are vacant, 345 posts of Master grade teachers and 385 posts of general line teachers are also lying vacant in Doda. A total 385 posts of non-teaching staff including clericals cadre/Class-IV employees/MTS/Cooks/Safaiwalas are also lying vacant in Doda district.
Similarly in district Ramban, out of the six Educational Zones, four are lying headless; out of 59 Govt High Schools 35 are without Headmasters and out of 21 HSSs, five are without Principals. Besides this, 166 posts of Lecturers, 219 posts of Masters are also lying vacant in the district. In Reasi district, out of six Educational Zones, three are lying headless; 37 posts of Headmasters and six positions of Principals are also lying vacant in the district.
In Udhampur, out of the total 11 Educational Zones, four are lying headless. These include, Dudu, Panchari, Chenani and Tikri. 58 High Schools and two GHSSs in the district are lying headless. In Dudu Zone, highest number of 8 High Schools are headless, in Pancheri and Ramnagar 7 each, six in Jib while 5 each in Chenani, Kulwanta and Udhampur Zones. Moreover, almost similar is the position in other districts.
Meanwhile, the charge of headless Marh Zone has been accorded to Principal Govt HSS Ghau Manasan; ZEO Hiranagar to ZEO Marheen; ZEO Arnas to Principal HSS Arnas; ZEO Chinkah to Principal HSS Salal; ZEO Chenanai to Principal HSS Chenani; ZEO Gool to Principal HSS Sangaldan, ZEO Sunderbani to Principal HSS Sunderbani and ZEO Kotrakna to Principal HSS Budhal in district Rajouri. Several Chief Education Officers, however, when contacted claimed that they have written to the higher authorities for filling up of the vacant posts in Educational Zones, Higher Secondary and High Schools in their respective districts.
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