The prolonged deputation of senior Principals besides continued attachment of handful of blue eyed teachers to Cluster University of Jammu has come under sharp criticism within academic circles, particularly at a time when several Government Degree Colleges (GDCs) across Jammu province are functioning without regular Principals and facing acute shortage of teaching staff.
Academicians and faculty members argue that the continued retention of senior Principals besides teachers in CLUJ raises serious question mark on those handling affairs of HED in corridors of power.
“Deputation of senior Principals to CLUJ beyond their sanctioned period adversely affecting the academic and administrative functioning of colleges already grappling with governance challenges, avers a teacher of SPMR Commerce College, preferring anonymity.
Critics believe such prolonged continuance sets an unhealthy precedent and weakens the sincere endeavours of LG Manoj Sinha’s to streamline administration in GDCs.
While interacting with this publication, a majority of Principals on prolonged deputation to CLUJ expressed a sense of deprivation, stating that they have remained parked at the university for years, away from the core academic and administrative responsibilities for which they were originally selected by the JKPSC.
Reliable sources claimed that senior authorities in the Higher Education Department were in favour of recalling deputed Principals for deployment in colleges requiring experienced leadership.
However, proposals in this regard allegedly failed to materialize due to the intervention of an officer who, according to sources, has been “sitting over” the files to facilitate the continuation of one particular Principal in CLUJ beyond the approved deputation period.
List of Principals who have remained associated with CLUJ for prolonged periods allegedly beyond their original deputation tenure includes Prof. Zubair, Dr. D.S. Manhas, Prof. Twinkle Suri, Prof. Vishal Sharma, Prof. Chander Shekhar, Dr. Monika Sharma and Dr. Satinder Kour.
“Senior Principals with vast academic and administrative experience can significantly strengthen colleges struggling with governance and academic management,” said sources in the Higher Education Department.
The academicians also questioned the rationale behind attachment of certain college teachers to CLUJ who are related to officers posted in Lok Bhawan and Chief Secretary office despite several GDCs are facing shortage of staff.
Faculty members of CLUJ, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that the Higher Education Department (HED) handpicked a few teachers and placed them at the disposal of the university, where they were allegedly adjusted against “ghost” designations such as Coordinators and Directors.
Insiders further alleged that these arrangements continued despite the university already having recruited its own faculty through duly constituted selection committees, leaving some deputed faculty with little substantive academic workload.
Referring to faculty members including Reena Salaria, Shafia Saleem, Rajesh Kumar, Sughanda Mahajan, Meenakshi Chib and Kuldeep Raina — who was reportedly adjusted at CLUJ for nearly two months after his transfer from MAM College to GDC Bishnah, CLUJ sources alleged that the services of experienced college teachers could have been utilised more effectively in government colleges grappling with staff shortages rather than being parked on non-teaching assignments.
“It is an administrative failure to keep highly paid college teachers engaged in largely idle non-teaching roles,” sources alleged.
It is learnt that owing to this precarious situation, there are growing difference between the CLUJ and HED.
There is strong discontentment prevailing in CLUJ over attachment of GDCs teachers by HED for non teaching assignments which according to insiders can easily be managed additionally by the permanent faculty of CLUJ with ease.
Further, they maintained that CLUJ should not merely be viewed through the prism of deputations and cushion postings. The institution requires greater administrative autonomy and institutional support to accomplish its goals of excellence in education through objectives research and innovation.
Repeated attempts to obtain an official response from the Higher Education Department could not be confirmed at the time of filing this report.