The Higher Education Department of Jammu and Kashmir finds itself ensnared in a crisis of unprecedented proportions, as over 1,000 vacant posts of Assistant Professors continue to plague the degree colleges. This prolonged inaction by the Government to fill these vacancies has triggered a cascading effect on the academic environment, tarnishing the prospects of students, stunting the growth of lecturers, and putting the entire education system at risk. The result is a mix of inefficiency, neglect, and an acute shortage of qualified academic staff, leading to a widespread breakdown in the system that could take years to mend.
The numbers alone are staggering: 1012 vacant posts of Assistant Professors, Librarians, and Physical Training Instructors across the UT. Out of these, 840 positions were referred to the JKPSC for recruitment, yet only 476 of these vacancies have seen selections or recommendations, and formal appointment orders have been issued to a mere fraction of the total required staff. A concerning 364 vacancies remain unresolved, continuing to keep academic institutions in a state of flux. As if this was not troubling enough, 150 additional vacancies have emerged in the gazetted categories for academic staff, which are currently under review.
This situation paints a grim picture of the Higher Education Department’s functioning. A system that should be constantly evolving to meet the demands of an ever-growing student body is instead marred by slow bureaucratic processes and inadequate attention from the powers that be. The delay in filling these vacancies, coupled with the absence of a comprehensive recruitment policy, has made a mockery of imparting education. Students, in particular, have borne the brunt of this inefficiency, finding themselves deprived of the high-quality education and academic guidance that they rightfully deserve. The failure to address these staffing shortages has created a situation where the department is running on an ad hoc support system, with academic arrangements being the only temporary solution to mitigate the deficit. However, this is far from ideal. Staff engaged in academic arrangements are typically Masters or PhD holders who, despite their qualifications, are relegated to temporary, low-paying positions with no security or long-term career prospects. This arrangement is instead perpetuating a cycle of uncertainty for both the staff and the students they teach.
For many, academic arrangements serve as an internship platform, allowing fresh graduates to gain teaching experience and enhance their chances of securing permanent teaching positions in the future. However, the department’s inability to create a clear, structured policy for these contractual staff has placed them in a precarious position, where their future prospects hinge on a series of arbitrary decisions rather than established, transparent guidelines. This lack of stability forcing many faculty members to leave the profession in search of more secure opportunities.
In addition to the hiring delays, another pressing concern is the issue of salary increases for academic arrangement staff. According to UGC guidelines, the salary of academic arrangement staff should be increased from Rs 28,000 to Rs 57,000 per month. However, the Government has failed to implement this much-needed salary hike, despite the case being referred to the Finance Department for approval. The Finance Department’s reluctance to sign off on this proposal, despite its obvious merit, speaks volumes about the Government’s lack of priority for the education sector. Moreover, the issue of vacation salaries for academic arrangement staff, who are currently denied this benefit, remains unresolved. The reduction of the duration of unpaid vacation leave from 60 to 50 days falls far short of the expectations of the academic staff, who continue to suffer under the weight of inadequate compensation and a lack of basic benefits.
The need of the hour is the implementation of fair and transparent policies for academic arrangement staff, including reasonable salary hikes and benefits. Educational institutions cannot be expected to function effectively under these circumstances. The Government must recognise the critical importance of a well-functioning education system and prioritise filling these vacant positions.
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