A considerable void
The University of Kashmir was founded in 1948 as a Public State University called The University of Jammu & Kashmir. In 1969 it was bifurcated into two separate independent Universities; one known as University of Kashmir at Srinagar and the other as University of Jammu at Jammu. University of Kashmir spread over 247 acres of land (Main Campus) divided into three parts of Hazratbal, Mirza Bagh and Naseem Bagh, besides commissioning during 2014 Institute of Technology Zakura on 37.5 acres of land (known as Zakura Campus). Having its academic affiliations with UGC, AIU, AICTE and ACU it has established itself as a major institution of higher learning in the region. It has about 35 Teaching Departments and Research Centres. To improve access to higher education it is running three satellites campuses at Anantnag (South Campus), Baramulla (North Campus) and Kupwara (Kupwara Campus).
However, in response to an application filed under Right To Information Act (RTI) by a Jammu based RTI activist namely Shri Raman Kumar Sharma in 2/2025 (as appeared in a local daily on 15/4/2025) nearly 20 percent of 2,859 sanctioned posts were lying vacant as on 2/2024 in the University of Kashmir highlighting a considerable void between the sanctioned staff strength and the persons-in-position across the various departments and that too at the faculty level. This startling revelation was made by Central Public Information Officer Mr. Ghulam Mohammad Wani of University of Kashmir who stated that 570 positions were unfilled which included over 200 posts of Professors, Associate Professors and Assistant Professors in addition to 110 posts of Junior Assistants.
The RTI disclosed that the post of Dean of College Development Council, Dean of Students’ Welfare, Academic Coordinator, Research Fellow, Editor-cum-Lecturer, Editor–cum-Research Assistant, Documentation Officer, Additional Controller of Examinations and Assistant Estates Officer were lying vacant. The University also awaited the appointment of Professor-cum-Principal (Nursing), two Assistant Professors (Nursing), three Tutors (Nursing), two Deputy Directors and three Assistant Directors in Physical Education Department, one Deputy Director and three Assistant Directors in Directorate of Internal Quality Assurance, two Placement Officers and nine Assistant Librarians. The Institute of Music & Fine Arts of University of Kashmir was also without a Principal besides four vacancies of Senior Instructors. There were three vacancies of Joint Registrars, two Deputy Registrars-cum-Deputy Controller Examinations, seven Assistant Registrars-cum-Assistant Controller Examinations, two Assistant Programmers, one Auditor, three Coaches (Physical Education & Sports), two Computer Operators, three Hindi Typists besides five Junior Engineers.
Pertinent to mention that large number of unfilled positions in leadership and faculty roles is sure to impact university operations, administrative efficiency, research output and the students’ zeal to materials their cherished pursuits. If we call education an industry, universities are the manufacturing units that produce finished products for the market of society to enjoy a smooth flow of various kinds of interactions. Any shortage of machinery or shortcomings thereof is bound to tell upon the quality and the quantity of products in guaranteeing a safe & secure market in the competitive world. Shortage of staff in other services may be tolerable save health and education as it poses threat to dignified & meaningful existence employability.
The varsity, along with all the institutions of education across Jammu & Kashmir must be fully equipped with human resource infrastructure, finance infrastructure and physical infrastructure enabling it to fulfill its motto of leading ‘from darkness to light’.
The author is a former Sr. Audit Officer and Consultant in the A.G’s Office Srinagar.
