Ch. Rashid Azam inqlabi
The National Educational Policy 2020 in India was introduced to implement changes at all levels of education. It also created a scope for the teachers to refine the way, they engage with their students by providing them guidance, support, and training. It is moving with big data, artificial intelligence, machine learning, environmental issues, depleting natural resources, pandemic, and we need a new skilled workforce to adapt to these changes in the country.
The Government’s first priority must be to redefine rural education in Jammu and Kashmir. The Government-run colleges in rural area need well-qualified teachers as per norms , access to drinking water, electricity, computer labs and proper libraries. Govt must ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. The new education policy has the potential to change and transform the education system in rural India, will also give due place to regional language such as, Kashmiri, Dogri, Gojri, Bhaderwahi, Siraji, Punjabi and Phari.
Kashmir University and Jammu University have to play an active role in suggesting the ways and means to the Government of Jammu and Kashmir for implementing , National Education Policy 2020 . The Higher Education Department requires a special cell in the Secretariat headed by an experienced person to examine the recommendation, if any, received in Secretariat.
The UT of Jammu and Kashmir holds the 31st ranking in the country with a literacy rate of 68.74%, showing the UT in a poor state. The average literacy rate compared to the country is pretty low in Jammu and Kashmir. The Government of Jammu and Kashmir constantly works in providing quality education to the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir. Still, they definitely need to work harder in providing quality education to its youth.
Jammu and Kashmir has many universities, one IIT, NIT, NIFT, IIMC, and IIM and more than 20 B.Ed colleges including private B.Ed colleges . The ranking of two universities of Jammu and Kashmir comes under the top 100 universities of India and one among top 50 universities of India. We have 97 Government Degree Colleges which were functioning in the erstwhile State of Jammu and Kashmir. Three engineering college are also functioning in the Union Territory, one in Kashmir, GECT Kote Bhalwal and Janglot Kathua.
The sanctioned strength of teaching staff of 97 Degree colleges of Jammu and Kashmir was 142 Principals and Professors, 3501 Assistant Professors and 141 Physical Training Instructors. After 5th August 2019 the state was bifurcated into two Union Territory and staff of higher education also got bifurcated between the two Union Territories and 3427 posts of Assistant Professor have been allotted vide SRO 816 to Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory and 74 posts of Assistant Professor allotted to Ladakh U. T
Shortage of staff
Governor administration in 2019 sanctioned fifty one New Degree colleges in far-flung areas of the UT but only 208 posts were created vide Government Order No. 179 dated 14-2-2020 for new colleges, but no efforts have been made for the creation of teaching staff for already under staffed colleges which were established 10 to 15 years earlier, so as to enable the colleges of far-flung area become fully functional. Only eight to nine posts of teaching and non- teaching have been created for these new colleges, which badly effects the future of students.
In some of middle schools of the Jammu province the strength of teaching staff is more then 15 to 20, teachers whereas only 2 to 4 faculty posts have been sanctioned for new degrees colleges which is a mockery with the students of far flung area . In Degree colleges of rural area even the contractual staff is not provided by the Government as per requirement of institution.
The Higher Education Department has worked out the requirement of 5500 posts of Assistant Professors in Higher Education, as per ratio of (1:80) for Science stream and (1:320) for humanity, and Home Science stream but formal proposal requires to be approved by the Finance Department.
Out of 3427 Assistant Professors only 2663 Assistant Professors are working in Higher Education Department, out of 141 PTIs only 82 and out of 91 librarians only 74 are working while remaining posts are laying vacant for more than three years. Further w.e.f 2018 to March 2021 about 224 Assistant Professors and principals retired from Higher Education Department and more than one hundred are going to retire in 2021-22. Higher Education Department is going to face a great shortage of human resource in degree colleges . The shortage of staff in engineering colleges is going to affect the student community. Sanctioning of 51 new degree colleges in the year of 2019 brought a ray of hope on the face of people living in far flung area. The educated youth of that area hope that they will get quality education at the door steps but their dream shatters when they come to know that teaching staff is not provided as per requirement in these colleges.
The condition further worsens when Higher Education Department rationalized common pool posts of Assistant Professor vide Govt Order No. 435 dated 14-12-2020 in which the colleges functioning in rural area have been ignored for instance in Jammu province Degree College Jandrah, Majalta, Ukhral, Batote, Puni, and in Kashmir province Degree College Ajas, Hajan, Karal Pora, Langate, Qazigund, Zain Pora were allotted only 7 to 9 posts of Assistant Professor of various subjects. Degree College Padder, Neel Nali, Puni, Dudu Basantghar, Ram Nagar, Parmandal, Vijaypur in Jammu province and Chathi Singh Pura, Ashmukam, Soibugh, Valigam in Kashmir province were allotted only 4 posts of Assistant Professors for running the college. Some degree college are running with only one permanent A.P and rest are contractual teacher or guest faculty members who are Poorly paid less than three thousand per month.
Students from traditionally disadvantaged sections of society of rural area are more affected as compared to students from higher socio – economic strata. Given the financial constraint, these children are at a disadvantage as they are unable to divert resources towards additional learning opportunities. They also do not have human capital support in form of educated parents, or other family members, to assist them in their learning journey. If they have study in colleges with minimum staff how can they compete with the students of a metro city.
Education is only source in eliminating the socio-educational disparity. It also works as a source of power vested upon humans that helps us in climbing the social ladder following a legitimate process. Hence, for the development of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir and to improve its standard of living, it is important for the Government of Jammu and Kashmir to work tirelessly on making the educational system in Jammu and Kashmir impeccable.
The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who has great experience of the education fields and is well versed with problems of youths of rural area is the last hope for students of far-flung area that he will do justice with them by directing the Finance and Higher Education Department to create the teaching faculty posts for the under staff colleges and newly established Degree Colleges of far flung area of Union Territory as per laid down norms of university grants commission.
(The writer is former Director School Education)
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