PIL seeking proper student-teacher ratio in schools
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 4: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by All Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh Teachers Federation seeking proper student-teacher ratio in the schools, a Division Bench of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh High Court comprising Chief Justice (A) Tashi Rabistan and Justice Moksha Khajuria has directed Additional Advocate General to file a comprehensive status report indicating progress and completion of infrastructure facilities.
On 15.02.2021, respondent was directed to file a report with respect to status of all the projects as the status report filed on 13.05.2019 did not disclose as to whether the projects have been completed or not. Pursuant to order dated 15.02.2021, respondent filed a status report dated 07.11.2021 wherein information of the projects vis-a-vis the completion and pendency with, effect from 2018 onwards has been given in a tabulated form.
After perusal of the report, the DB observed, “it would reveal that number of works approved under AWP&B for the financial year 2018-19 under Samagra Shiksha were 1955, out of which only 821 have been completed and 236 are shown to be in progress”, adding “there is no mention about the remaining 898 projects of the year 2018-19 in the status report. Insofar as number of works sanctioned for the financial year 2019-20 is concerned, the report reflects that 3723 works had been sanctioned and only 80 works were completed while as 876 works are in progress. Therefore, 2767 works are not being talked about for the year 2019-20. Similarly, number of works approved under AWP&B for the financial year 2020-21 under Samagra Shiksha were 638 works, and for 140 works tender process has been initiated”.
“Therefore, there are 498 works pending from amongst the approved works under AWP&B for the years 2020-21. Hence, no mention is made in the status report with regard to 4163 pending works”, the DB said, adding “on 22.02.2022, it was observed by this court that though various projects have been sanctioned but only limited projects have been completed and only some are in progress. Accordingly, respondents were granted some more time to produce a better status report bringing on record the entire policy and the need of educational institutions in the Union Territory as also the existing students teachers ratio in both the urban and rural areas”.
“Besides this, they were also directed to inform about the Education Policy as well as number of schools (Elementary, High Schools and the Secondary Schools) which are required in the Union Territory and as to how many of them exist presently with all necessary infrastructures”, the DB said, adding “the Government is under obligation to provide basic infrastructure facilities like toilet facility, drinking water, good ventilated class rooms, appointment of teachers and all other facilities so that children can study in a clean and healthy environment”.
Accordingly, DB directed AAG Raman Sharma to file a comprehensive status report indicating progress and completion of infrastructure facilities.
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