JAMMU: Several government degree colleges (GDC) in the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory are lying headless resulting in casualty of academics as well as administrative discipline in these institutions.
While the burgeoning number of vacancies keep multiplying each month with retirement of more principals, the Higher Education Department (HED) is jittery owing to hectic lobbying by the blue eyed.
The data available with JK Global News reveals that several GDCs in J&K UT are either bossless or occupied by favorites in-charge Principals. Not only this, the situation is more grim in prestigious colleges of J&K where the punies rule the roost resulting in diminishing the pristine glory of prominent colleges.
As a matter of fact in Jammu region, the Government College of Education (GCOE) is without Principal for the last 4 months and the charge of same has been handed over to a Man Friday of HED, Prof. S.P.Saraswat, who clings to the chair of Principal GCW, Parade for more than 4 years and under whose tenure the said college was downgraded from NAAC A+ ranking to B+ grade.
In the same manner, the GDC, Gool is also without Principal since Dec, 2023, whereas, two prominent GDCs of Jammu city namely GCW, Gandhi Nagar and government SPMR Commerce college, Canal Road have become headless following retirement of Principals in the month of January this year.
Similarly, in the Kashmir region, GDC, Qazikund, GDC, Tangmarg, GDC Kreeri and GDC Kangan are running with make shift arrangement of in-charge Principals namely Nissar Ahmad, Irfana Majeed, Kausar Jan respectively for several months.
Not only this, even the HED is in quandary to appoint Principals in GDC, Handwara, GDC, Vilgham, GCW, Kupwara and GDC, Bomai which are without administrative head for so many months.
Insiders in HED, confiding anonymity said, “Those known for proximity in corridors of powers are gunning for postings in city colleges which is the main reason for delay in postings of Principals in GDCs which are lying vacant”
If sources are to believe, a lobby in HED wants to bring back Seema Mir, Manisha Kohli, Monika Sharma, Jyoti Parihar, Twinkle Suri and Geetanjali Rana as Principal in GDCs of Jammu city.
Further, the name of Principal, GDC, Kunjwani, Ravinder Tickoo is also doing the rounds for Nodal chair with transfer as Principal, GGM Science College.
Interestingly, the chair of Nodal Principal in Jammu division as part of a peculiar practice keeps shuttling from one college to other with the postings of their favorites Principal.
Earlier, during popular government, only Principal GGM, Science College was designated as Nodal Principal.
This worrisome situation speaks volumes about the administrative inertia prevailing in the HED which is itself encouraging a beeline of aspirants for notching the top slots in vacant GDCs. This is an open secret that prior to retirement of officer, the administrative department should be ready with a panel of officers to be posted as Principal, says an insider of HED.
If this mess is allowed to linger on for long, it will frustrate the sincere attempts of PM to implement National Education Policy(NEP) in letter and spirit. The buck stops at the door of Principal Secretary HED, further added an officer of HED, preferring anonymity.
When contacted, Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary, HED, J&K UT clarified that he is on the job to clear the clutter in filling vacants posts of Principals in GDCs.