Govt struggles to reassign teachers stuck in office roles

Srinagar, July 15: There seems to be no implementation of government orders to relieve the teachers deployed in offices at zonal, district, and directorate levels in different cells.

The majority of these teachers, either working as zonal nodal officers, or district nodal officers and cultural coordinators at district and divisional levels are enjoying their prolonged stint in the offices.

As already reported by Greater Kashmir, the government has issued a series of circular instructions and orders to reshuffle the overstayed teachers in different offices.

Recently, the Directors of School Education Kashmir and Jammu divisions ordered the cancellation of attachment of all the teaching and non-teaching staff deployed in offices for administrative work in other departments.

Despite the strict orders, several teachers are yet to join their original place of posting, an official said. Some teachers who were deployed in the election cell of Deputy Commissioners’ offices are yet to join their original place of posting in violation of the orders issued by the Directors of School Education Kashmir and Jammu divisions.

Besides this, scores of teachers deployed in the Zonal Education Offices (ZEOs) and Chief Education Offices (CEOs) as zonal nodal officers and district nodal officers are continuing their stint for more than seven years.

The same is the case with cultural coordinators posted in CEO offices and the Directorate as well.

“These teachers have not been relieved from last many years. They are shielded by officers under one or another pretext,” an official said.

Complaints are pouring in against the poor implementation of the orders in various districts wherein the majority of the teachers have not been relieved from offices in clear violation of government orders.

“Basically, these teachers are deployed for a period of 2 to 3 years and are supposed to be replaced by another group of teachers. But, the majority of them manage to continue in offices and take care of all non-teaching assignments besides working for different components of schemes,” the official said.

In 2022, the School Education Department (SED) ordered the repatriation of all the teachers from their engagement in offices to schools – their original place of posting.

The initiative was taken after the department received criticism for allowing influential teachers to enjoy prolonged stints in the offices at different levels.

Earlier, the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) issued an order stating that the new lot of teachers would be nominated in line with the National Education Policy (NEP)-2020 and deployed in offices for a fixed tenure.

However, contrary to it, the teachers posted in offices around 10 years ago continue to remain in offices.

As the teachers continue in offices for a prolonged stint, questions are being raised over clearing the files pertaining to their time-bound promotions.

An official said that a teacher while applying for in situ promotion had to produce the last 3 years' results besides the 3 years enrollment statement of the schools in which they were actually posted.

“Besides this, the concerned DDO has to give 3 years’ Annual Progress Report (APR) in favour of the concerned teachers. This APR should be based on the performance of the teachers in teaching students at the school. However, while they remain posted in offices, they get their promotions done,” the official said.

Amid poor implementation of detachment orders, the government has assured action and ensured that teachers get relieved from offices.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor (LG), Rajiv Rai Bhatnagar said that he would look into the matter.

“I will take up the matter with the department and see why teachers remain deployed in offices for a prolonged period,” he said.