Ensure better academic activity
Establishing institutions of higher learning in any area is a positive development as the contributions of educational institutions cannot be ignored vis-à-vis shaping the future of our posterity.
Same holds true for the state of Jammu and Kashmir which is highly deficient in providing institutions of higher learning including colleges that too in far off and inaccessible areas.
Keeping in view the demands and the requirements the government at times comes out with announcements of establishing new colleges in various zones of the state. This has been happening whether the state is ruled by an elected government or run by the officials under the direct command of the Centre or the Governor.
During the past few months the government has announced setting up degree colleges in various areas, however, after the announcements were made several issues have been cropping up which includes lack of teaching faculty in these institutions.
The state is presently facing a dearth of teachers at Degree college level as around 1000 posts of teachers in colleges are lying vacant and the government has resorted to appoint teachers on contracts to manage the academic activities in these colleges.
During the past two years only 2700 out of 3500 sanctioned posts of teaching staff in degree colleges have been filled till date out of which 1600 posts were filled during the year 2016 -17.
Now what is being learnt is that the government has decided to start the recently announced colleges from the next academic session and the new colleges will be run by the permanent faculty members who are already working in other established colleges.
Pertinently, the governor led administration has approved creation of new 102 degree colleges across the state with creation of posts for teaching and non-teaching faculty members as well.
However, as the department is already facing dearth of teaching faculty in the existing colleges and the department is yet to refer posts to the Public Service Commission (PSC) created in newly approved colleges, the government may shift some senior faculty members from the existing colleges to run the academic affairs in the new colleges.
The senior faculty members will be put in-charge principals while the new faculty will be arranged on contractual basis and the colleges will be made functional. But the fact is that the move will deteriorate the already ailing academic scenario in the existing colleges as scores of teaching posts are lying vacant in the colleges and the department is delaying the recruitment to address the issue of shortage of teaching faculty.
The education department is managing the show by hiring academic arrangement on contract basis and it is expected that the new colleges will have whole faculty of contractual teachers and one senior faculty member will be put in-charge Principal.
The move is likely to take a toll on the functioning of the existing colleges as the shifting of senior faculty members to new colleges will hit the functioning of the already established colleges and will not do any good to the new colleges as well.
Presently, the higher education department has hired over 3000 contractual teachers in Jammu and Kashmir for staff deficient colleges and if the trend continues that seeing an improvement in the functioning of colleges will remain a dream.
KV Network
