Jammu, Apr 14:: Alleging total collapse of the Education sector in the state with govt completely averse to the woes of the aggrieved teaching community including contractual lecturers, unadjusted promoted Masters of Jammu and RETs, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh JKNPP Chairman and Former Minister today announced to gherao the Education Minister in case the genuine concerns of the said community were not addressed within a week. He said that it was extremely hurtful that so called builders of nation had to take to roads even for the realization of their lawful rights which were genuinely and legitimately due to them. He regretted that with morale of the teaching community having reached at the lowest ebb during the last few years, the academic activity in govt schools had become the major casualty for which the Education Deptt. was answerable and accountable to the society at large. He was addressing a press conference in Jammu today.
Strongly condemning the criminal negligence of the govt in addressing the issues of the contractual lecturers sitting on chain hunger strike for the last more than sixty days, Mr. Singh said that the ruling alliance had made the most unusual and conspicuous mockery of the so called welfare state. He further ridiculed the govt for its unrelenting rhetoric and tall slogans on “Beti babchao-Beti Padhao” when several female contractual lectures on hunger strike had to be repeatedly hospitalized with none in the administration to give them a hearing. Seeking immediate announcement of a policy for Job security and regularization of the services of contractual lecturers, Mr. Singh cautioned the govt of serious consequences in view of civil society too having joined issues.
Supporting the cause of aggrieved RET Teachers, Mr. Singh sought immediate release of their pending salaries besides retrospective regularization of all eligible RETs from 2014 as regular teachers, payment of arrears of regularized Education Volunteers (EVs), entry of enhanced qualification in service book of RETs besides early settlement of other burning issues of teachers.
Lambasting the govt for its culpable neglect and most despicable apathy in adjusting master promotees of 2014, Mr. Singh said that never before in the history of Education Deptt had the promotees been kept unadjusted for as long as three years. He said that it was not only an illegality but the highest level of bias against the masters of Jammu region.
While all of the 900 odd Masters promoted in 2014 in Kashmir Division were adjusted during the same period, the 581 promoted Masters of Jammu Division during 2014 were still unadjusted and thus subjected to the worst humiliation and harassment by the authorities concerned, maintained the former Education Minister. He said that inordinate delay in the adjustment of the said Masters had adversely affected their future prospects besides irreparable loss and prejudice caused to their seniority vis a vis their Kashmir based counterparts. He said that after issuance of promotion lists for both Jammu and Kashmir regions in 2014, the state education Deptt adjusted all the Kashmir promotees but issued numerous orders in quick succession to deny the promotional benefits to the legitimate promotees of Jammu region who continue to be deprived of their genuine claims for the last more than three years. He regretted that it was not only unjust but highly obnoxious to accord differential treatment to Jammu division candidates as against their Kashmir counterparts without any rationale and justification. He said that despite the Education Deptt, of late, having realized the unfair treatment having been doled out to the Jammu Masters, the much awaited adjustment orders were still elusive.
Urging upon the govt to ensure immediate redressal of the most genuine grievances of the teaching community, Mr. Singh cautioned that any further delay in the matter could prove disastrous in view of widespread resentment amongst the teachers in general. He assured full support to the representatives of the aggrieved teachers whose deputation had called upon him today to apprise him about the pathetic plight of the fast deteriorating system in the Education Deptt.
Parshotam Parihar State Secretary Panthers Trade Union was also present during the press conference.
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