Arfat Khan
JAMMU: Owing to hiccups ridden e-pass service, the Principals of various government degree colleges in Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir are finding it difficult to reach their respective destination in compliance to the recent order of Higher Education Department for opening of colleges with 30 percent staff on rotation basis to carry necessary administrative works.
The situation is more troublesome for principals as well as staff who need to move from one district to other as none of them has been issued the movement passes from the concerned authorities.
Irony of the matter is that the HED issued order before taking into consideration the mechanism for acquiring ‘movement pass’ or compulsory directions to the district administration as well as police for hassle free movement of college staff to attend their respective office.
Even the much hyped ‘e-pass’ service which was recently started by the state administration with catchy headlines in newspapers have miserably failed to lessen their miseries as same either full of technical glitches in the web link while applying for e-pass or responded at their own whims and fantasies, said one agitated staff member of college.
The link for e-pass is unfriendly to the applicants as after filling all required information it fails to get submit, said one male GDC Principal preferring anonymity. I tried it thrice a time before the link directed me to another page for successful submission, he added.
Even if it submits successfully, the concerned respond for issuance of e-pass as per their convenience as the so called e-pass service is devoid of any specific time duration for disposal of request.
Some Principals are complaining about apathetic attitude of district magistrates while turning down their request for issuance of e-pass.
The order should not be issued in an arbitrary manner. The lockdown amidst pandemic is an extraordinary situation where decisions should be taken in coordination, opined one Principal posted in Pirpanjal area.
The HED should acquired e-pass from the concerned district magistrates and send the same to all the GDC principals and staff electronically, said one college Principal. Similarly, the list of 30 percent employee first sought from the respective college principals for issuance of e-pass, she added.
Coordination helps in streamlining the things for smooth running of institutions especially when there is so much uncertainty prevailing around us, opined one college principal.
Talking to the JKGN Talat Parvez Rohella, Secretary HED said “ Everything gets tumble down due to pandemic and necessary steps will be taken to facilitate movement of Principals so that they may able to attend their office in colleges and work out things for smooth functioning of colleges post lockdown.