Srinagar, Nov 2025: President All J&K Lecturers Association, Mansoor Ahmad Khan, in a strong statement, has voiced serious concern over any proposal of structural expansion or induction of outside officers into the School Education Department (SED), particularly at the level of Chief Education Officers (CEOs).
He said that while any step aimed at addressing the stagnation of the +2 cadre is welcome and long overdue, inducting officers from outside the department would be seen as a direct affront to the aspirations and rights of the existing teaching fraternity. Mr. Khan highlighted that the +2 cadre, comprising lecturers and principals, has been facing acute stagnation for over a decade, with hundreds of officers awaiting promotion despite fulfilling all eligibility conditions. “Many lecturers retire without a single promotion during their entire career span of over 25 years, which is demoralizing and unjust,” he said.
He added, “If gazetted officers from the School Education Department are not inducted into other departments, how can a reverse mechanism—bringing outsiders as CEOs—be justified? Such a move would disturb the administrative balance, erode career progression avenues, and demotivate an already overburdened teaching community.” Supporting his concerns with departmental data, Mr. Khan mentioned that over 5000 lecturers and senior lecturers are presently stagnating at the same level, while large number of principal posts remain unfilled due to procedural delays.
Instead of bringing officers from other cadres, he suggested that the department evolve a transparent promotion policy similar to the Higher Education Department model, where seniority-cum-merit and performance-based evaluation determine upward movement.
He urged Minister Ms. Sakina Itoo, Chief Secretary Shri Atal Dulloo, and Secretary, SED, Shri Ram Nivas Sharma, to immediately halt any such proposal that undermines the departmental hierarchy and professional integrity of the Education Department. “The School Education Department must recognize the immense talent, administrative experience and academic excellence available within its own ranks.
Instead of diluting the system, the government should create more avenues for capable officers to rise through a well-defined career path,” he said. Mr. Khan reiterated that the Association will not accept any move that compromises the career progression, dignity, and structure of the SED and cautioned that such decisions could have serious administrative and academic consequences on the functioning of SED.
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