Srinagar

The teachers associated with the education department in Kashmir held a protest in the city centre on Tuesday claiming that in the recent elevation of teachers and masters to lecturers, the directorate of education in Kashmir has withheld posting orders to candidates with master’s degree from open universities. They also alleged that their counterparts in Jammu are serving at elevated positions.

The aggrieved masters and teachers, who have been elevated but not posted to their respective disciplines as lecturers, said that they have been working in the school education department for more than twenty-three years and meanwhile they did their post-graduation (PG) via distance learning program so that they become eligible for promotions but to their dismay, it did not happen in Kashmir. “Only the teachers of Jammu division who have completed their PG who also have done it via distance learning have been elevated and posted as lecturers,” one teacher said.

The masters and teachers exclaim with surety, “The Then Director (DSEK) had issued a circular which read that there is no need of permission of any in-service official to pursue their further degrees via distance learning program. Keeping that in view, we completed our PG from reputed open universities across the country via the distance learning program.” One protesting teacher added, “Had we known that our promotion would be hindered, we would not opt for this option at all.”

The DSEK has been promoting the in-service PG teachers and masters in various disciplines after proper verification of documents and certificates, regardless of whether the PG was pursued by in-service officials via distance learning program or the officials entered as postgraduates. The teachers affirmed, “All the directors till date have not ever raised any objection for any placement of any official who has completed his/her masters degree via distance learning. But unfortunately, our group suffered in this regard. We are lingering in between being masters or teachers and lecturers. We are unsure of our rank in the education department.”

According to the DSEK Srinagar vide letter No.DSEK/Estt.-I/492 Dated: 25-07-2019, these teachers and masters were informed to deposit all their documents and qualifications within a period of 21 days. “We have already submitted all the required documents along with bonafide certificates as directed by the directorate office Srinagar. We were told to wait for a period of fifteen days for our respective postings. But it has been months and there is no decision in our interest,” said the teachers.

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