SRINAGAR As many as 30 Government Degree Colleges (GDCs) in Jammu and Kashmir are functioning without Principals for the past one year, raising doubts about their administrative efficacy and academic standards.
These colleges, officials said were running headless for past year post retirement of the permanent and in-charge Principals. A dozen of Principals retired in past year and the government is yet to find the replacement for them,” an official of Higher Education Department (HED) said.
The colleges which have been left headless for past one year has not only taken toll on academics but has also affected the day to day affairs of these institutions.
Besides salary of staff, there are other day to affairs for which there should be a college head with DDO powers. Even a minor repair in college has financial implications but these institutions don’t have permanent head with DDO powers who can handle all these affairs,” the officials said.
Meanwhile, the government for the past one year has also shifted some Principals from colleges and attached them in Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA) directorate rendering the colleges headless.
“They were working as in-charge principals but were attached to RUSA as advisors. They have no work in RUSA but were still attached there, the official said.
Most of the newly approved Degree Colleges are also without any staff member as the government has not done any staff creation in these colleges.
And there are apprehensions that the government may shift senior faculty members from existing colleges to the newly approved ones which will disturb the academic scenario in existing colleges as well, the official said.
A top source in the HED said the department is facing dearth of principals as most of the faculty members are not eligible for the promotion to the level of college principal.
Earlier, some associate professors, whose interview was conducted by Public Service Commission (PSC) for their appointment as Principals was, withheld which delayed their appointment as college principals. “Some of the associate professors had qualified the interview but the file is gathering dust in administrative department,” said one of the associate professors wishing not to be named.
It is pertinent to mention that an Associate Professor with experience of eight years is eligible for interview for Principal post. The irony is that the higher education department is not seriously pursuing the case which delays the appointment of principals in colleges, the official said.
According to the Commissioner Secretary Higher Education Department, Talat Parvez Ruhella, the department has already started working on the issue. We are in process of identifying the vacant posts of principals and will be filled as early as possible, he said. (KNO)
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