JAMMU: Strong resentment is brewing among scores of government degree college Principals over ‘authoritative’ working style of Director Colleges, Prof. Yasmeen Ashai.
This unwarranted bossism, if allows to continue will not only demoralise the academicians heading GDCs but also prove detrimental to various ongoing development activities in the colleges, feared majority of college Principals.
Confiding anonymity, a Principal of GDC said “Director Colleges is just one among equals and must be very careful in selection of words to be used while interacting with Principals”. Instead of putting efforts to strengthen coordination between Principals and administrative department, it seems incumbent Director is keen to flaunt her authority by scolding and treating heads of colleges as toddlers, alleged another Principal.
Reliable sources in civil secretariat dealing in Higher Education Department attributes this undesired development as direct outcome of recent delegation of powers to Director Colleges by the outgoing Secretary of HED for reasons best known to later.
Stating that earlier, the Director Colleges used to look only after the affairs of non gazette employees posted in GDCs, an official of HED confiding anonymity told JK Globals News “Delegations of powers has created a precarious situation where same set of information is being sought from colleges by Director HED, Nodal Principal as well as Director of Finance and Planning leading to chaos and improper utilisation of human resources”.
Highly critical of the Director Colleges, a principal of City College on condition of anonymity said “While performing routine job she shouldn’t overstepped her limits and indulges in scolding heads of college”. The coordination between two (Director-Nodal Principals) is lacking but indulging in blame game, he quipped.
Instead of exhibiting authoritarian traits, the need of the hour is to rejuvenate the coordination between the Directorate of Colleges as well as Nodal Principal to contribute towards better growth and development of degree colleges which have witness a steep rise in numbers since the post of Director colleges introduced in HED in the year 2001, said sources.
Urging the higher ups in secretariat to reconsider the decision of delegating certain powers to Director Colleges which instead of yielding desired results have further led to friction and chaos between the Directorate and college Principals, another Principal on condition of anonymity said “Bossism is alien in the field of education and dealing with educationists one must have inborn qualities of camaraderie”
Clarifying on the issue, Director Colleges, Dr. Yasmeen Ashai avers “Cribbing is the favorite pastime for non performers and zero”. It’s not my fault If any wrong practice allowed to prosper in past. Denying allegations of bossism and rude to Principals, she further asserted that in an era of e-governance, the system has gone a sea change where everyone needs to be accountable. I am fully aware of my role and responsibilities to be performed as Director Colleges, she added.