JAMMU: The controversy surrounding large scale transfers of supporting staff in Higher Education Department (HED) refuses to die down owing to adjustment of majority of employees within comfort zones followed by instant modifications of some ‘Supermen’ besides sparing a lot of employees who have earned sobriquet as ‘Mr. Indispensables’ in HED due to prolong stay in their respective fiefdoms.
Pointing swift modification of one Ish Bharti, who was promoted as Head Assistant only three weeks ago and transferred from Jammu city to GDC, Reasi after 15 years, one GDC Principal preferring anonymity said, “Under the garb of deputation, the way Ish Bharti transfer order has been modified vide order No 48-DC-HE of 2024 dated 13/03/2024 for re-adjustment in Cluster University of JAMMU (CLUJ) shows that CLUJ cannot function sans this Superman”.
“Ish Bharti swift transfer to CLUJ within 10 days of his transfer to GDC Reasi on promotion either is a loud message of favoritism, or it indicates that rest of the clerical staff of HED comprises only deadwood, anguishly avers the Principal, adding “Since his employment under SRO -43, this Superman is entrenched around his home in Jammu city and mastered the art of managing kitchen posting. Similar is the case of one Ankur Kumar who for the past two decades is clinging to the Nodal office for reasons best known to present and past Nodal Principals of Jammu region”.
Stating that a probe through Anti-Corruption Bureau and CID is need of the hour, a senior non-teaching staffer of HED, confiding anonymity avers, “Though the Director Colleges have made every possible effort to foil ill designs of self-styled managers of transfer industry but still rumour mill is doing the rounds in GDCs’ about one middleman who brags of proximity with higher ups and allegedly guaranteed kitchen postings to several non-teaching employees for Rs 40,000”.
Justifying transfers of non-gazette employees, Director Colleges, HED, Yasmeen Ashai while maintaining that sincere endeavors are underway to protect gullible employees from falling into the trap of self-styled managers of transfer industry told JK Global News, “Those who have swapped their places of postings in city and periphery colleges are female employees who cannot be transferred far away from their homes. What an authority can do if someone maligns the same by extorting money on the name of transfers ?”, she added.
However, the fact is that out of 235 non-teaching employees only 44 females were transferred from one comfort zone to other vide order No 20-DC-HE of 2024, 22-DC-HE of 2024, 37-DC-HE of 2024, 31-DC-HE of 2024, 32-DC-HE of 2024 and 48-DC-HE of 2024 respectively.
Interestingly, one female staffer namely Gulshan Devi on her promotion as Senior Assistant was transferred from GDC Reasi to GCET, Jammu. Further scrutiny of transfer orders reveals that several non-teaching employees namely Sat Pal (Section Officer), Jagdish Kumar Badyal (Section Officer), Samit Gupta (Senior Assistant), Ankur Kumar (Junior Assistant), Bishamber Singh (Laboratory Assistant), Raj Singh and Sagar Singh were left untouched despite promoted vide order No 37-DC-HE of 2024 dated 26/02/2024.
Even modification of one Kaka Ram (Lab bearer) within 10 days of joining at GDC Ram Nagar besides transfer of Ram Lal (Lab Asst) from GCOE, Jammu after 25 years at GCW, Parade and Hem Raj who is retiring after 6 months and shunted out on promotion as Section Officer from GCW, Kathua to GDC, Ramnagar is a matter of huge concern and a big question mark, says one Head Assistant, confiding anonymity.
Sharing details of supporting staff who were left un-touched in the transfers drive, an employee of HED said, “Selected persons who are entrenched in their fiefdoms since long were not transferred for the reasons best known to the HED”. This special class of employees includes -Suresh Kumar (Jr Asst, GCW, Parade since 2018), Sandeep Sudan (GCW-Parade since 2018), Ankur Kumar (GGM, Science College since 2004), Jai Bhasin (GCW, Parade), Sat Paul Choudhary (laboratory bearer MAM College since 2003), Devinder Kumar (Chain man, MAM College since 2008) and Jagan Lal (Sr Lab Asst, MAM College).
It is a patent fact that continuation of government employees at one place breeds vested interest which is not conducive for transparent, accountable and corruption free environment and repeatedly the LG’s administration has been impressing upon the administrators to discourage this unhealthy precedence. However, the reverse is being repeatedly observed in HED which is a matter of thorough probe by higher authorities to streamline the ailing higher educational sector in J&K UT, says Prof. S.K.Bhalla.
Asserting that there is no favoritism in the recent transfer orders of non-teaching employees of HED, Director Colleges, Yasmeen Ashai reminded the author of this news item about his past self-employment venture as canteen owner in GGM Science College two decades ago. For a matter of fact, the learned officer of HED is ignorant of the fact that apart from a canteen owner, the author has been associated with scores of prestigious Multi-National Companies at senior managerial positions besides a keen watcher of men and manners.