Adhocism mars higher institutions of learning
Belying the tall claims of J&K government of improving academic standards in educational institutions, around 700 posts of Associate Professors and Assistant Professors are vacant in Degree Colleges in the state.
As per the figures available on official website of JK Higher Education Department (HED), 74 posts of Physical Training Instructors are lying vacant in colleges.
As per the official figures, there are around 3501 posts of Associate and Assistant professors sanctioned in around 96 Government Degree Colleges of which only 2800 have been filled.
“Rest of the posts are lying vacant in various colleges which has taken a toll on academics of students,” a top official in department said.
The official said the Department manages these vacant posts by hiring academic arrangements and teaching assistants in colleges on contract basis, however the selection process gets completed months after the academic session starts.
“If the posts will be filled permanently through proper recruitment, there will be no crises in colleges and students will get quality education also,” the official said.
Also, as per the official figures, out of 96 sanctioned posts of Principals in colleges, only 32 are headed by permanent Principals while as rest of the posts are managed by People as in-charge Principals.
Also, the department has not filled up posts of Librarian in colleges over the past many years. Of the total 95 sanctioned posts only 21 have been filled by the department.
“74 posts are also lying vacant in colleges,” the official said.
The official however, said the posts were lying vacant in colleges as the government has not provided permanent accommodation to the colleges.
“Around 23 degree colleges are functioning from make shift arrangement and they are not in a position to invite students for admission in their colleges in the subjects offered by the college. With the result the posts which are sanctioned against these subjects remain vacant. There is no hue and cry as no student for these particular subjects are enrolled in colleges,” the official said.
He however, said in most of the colleges, the show is managed by contractual staff.
The official said the department from the past one year filled various posts of Assistant professors in colleges by recruiting new people in Department however, the fresh recruitment didn’t fill all the posts sanctioned in the colleges.
Meanwhile, Principal Secretary Higher Education Department, Asgar Samoon didn’t respond to repeated calls from this newspaper.
KV Correspondent
