JAMMU: Even as, a handful of academicians considered as Men Friday of Higher Education Department (HED), continue to remain focal point of attention for their continuance at convenient places, the children of lesser God allegedly kept sidelined for posting as Principal.
This is the predicament of 13 selected Principals, who allegedly were denied their due despite the fact that more than dozens of Government Degree Colleges (GDC) in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory are without permanent Principals.
Narrating their grouse, aggrieved while sharing a copy of order passed by Jammu and Kashmir bench of Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) told, “Despite availability of 18 vacant posts of Principals as on December, 2023, the HED did not adjust the rest of 13 candidates figuring in the select panel submitted by Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) vide order No PSC/DPC/Principals/2022-I dated 6/12/2022 by shelving desired process for operation of select panel for six months beyond Nov, 2023 for reasons inexplicable”.
Worthwhile to mention here that in response to JKPSC panels bearing PSC/DPC/Principals/2022-I dated 5/12/2022 and No PSC/DPC/Principals/2022-I dated 6/12/2022 , the HED has appointed 133 candidates as Principals of GDCs vide order No 270-JK(HE)of 2022 dated 21/12/2022, G.O No 80-JK (HE) of 2023 dated 24/03/2023 and G.O No No 135-JK (HE) of 2024 dated 29/02/2024 respectively.
Though the CAT in its order dated 4/3/2024 has directed HED “To extend the validity period of the final select list bearing No PSC/DPC/Principals/2022-I and exhaust the same within a reasonable time frame”, there are apprehensions that the HED has made up its mind not to appoint us on vacant posts of Principals where currently In-charge are calling the shots, avers another aggrieved selected Principal.
Intriguingly, out of five associate professors who were placed as In-charge principals vide G.O No 120-JK (HE) of 2023 of dated 15/5/2023, the HED prefers to appoint three associate professors namely Gurvinder Raj Verma, Altaf Hussain Gadoo and Syed Javaid Hussain as principals vide G.O No 135-JK (HE) of 2024 dated 29/02/2024 while the rest 13 selectees in the panel were ignored.
“The moot point is that when the authorities preferred to appoint three as confirmed principals why then the remainder 13 selectees were not accommodated as Principals despite the fact that 18 GDCs were functioning on stop gap arrangement as on December, 2023. This discrimination in appointment of principals not only bad in taste but also hampers the smooth academic as well as administrative functioning of GDCs operating sans confirmed principals for a long duration”, alleged one of the aggrieved selectee.
Further sharing details, the aggrieved asserted that GDCs namely Handwara, Bomai, Tulail, Villagam, Tanghdar, Kilam, Larnoo, Banihal, Kupwara, Kreeri, Kangan, Tangmarg, Kokernag, Zainapora, Jindrah, Sunderbani, Gool and Govt College of Education (GCOE), Jammu were without principals as on Dec, 2023 and had the HED acted in letter and spirit on period of validity of Panel which as per DoPT reads, “The panel drawn by DPC would normally be valid for 1 year. In any case, it should cease to be in force on the expiry of a period of 1 year and 6 months or when a fresh panel is prepared, whichever is earlier”, these GDCs would have suffered enormously on account of administrative inertia.
Interestingly, the GCOE, canal road was headless since Sep, 2023 with additional charge lying with the then Principal of GCW, Parade S.P. Saraswat and just one day prior to the announcement of Model Code of Conduct on 16/3/2023, the HED vide G.O No 191-JK (HE) of 2024 dated 15/3/2024 transferred Principal GDC, Kishtwar Jyoti Parihar and posted her as Principal GCOE. Interestingly, as per our news item dated Feb, 7, 2024, the name of Jyoti Parihar was already doing the rounds for posting in one of the city college of Jammu.
To the top of all this, In-charge Principals of Kashmir division failed to find berth in JKPSC panel were allowed by HED to continue as head of GDCs while those of Jammu region who were not recommended by JKPSC were asked to demit the Principal’s chair. Moreover, one apart from performing his routine academic duties have been assigned the additional charge of more than two GDCs with DDO powers vide G.O No 205-JK dated 22/03/2024. . This is finest example of gross discrimination by the department who administered GDCs of two region with varied yardsticks, alleged another aggrieved candidate.
Voicing his concern, noted anti corruption crusader Prof. SK Bhalla opined “The HED in J&K UT has enormous stakes in the effective implementation of New Education Policy (NEP) and the same cannot be executed in letter and spirit without academic leaders. It is alarming to see that there are dozens of GDCs especially those opened under RUSA scheme are without confirmed Principals. Instead of ganging up against healthy and constructive criticism, the higher ups in HED must appoint the left over principals from PSC’s panel without delay in the larger interest of society”.
Repeated efforts to seek audience of Principal Secretary, HED, Alok Kumar on the matter did not materialize owing to his pre-occupation.