Jammu, Mar 18: The Jammu and Kashmir Government informed the Assembly on Tuesday that recruitment for General Line Teacher posts has been stalled for the past six years due to a decision made by the State Administrative Council (SAC) in 2018. The decision involved freezing the posts of General Line Teachers to facilitate the conversion of Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers into Grade-II and Grade-III teachers.
According to the latest data, Ramban district currently has 3,470 teachers, with 715 vacant positions.
Responding to a query from MLA Sajjad Shaheen, the Minister in charge of School Education confirmed that the recruitment of General Line Teachers has been on hold for six years due to the 2018 SAC decision. The Minister acknowledged that while many schools have been upgraded, most of these upgrades were carried out without the creation of additional teaching staff. This, combined with a significant number of retirements and promotions, has led to a substantial number of unfilled teacher vacancies in Ramban district.
It was also noted that most schools in Ramban district are located in hilly areas. To address the shortage of teaching staff, the government has implemented a rationalization process. During the previous academic year, 124 teachers were rationalized to ensure the smooth functioning of educational institutions, and 75 Cluster Resource Coordinators (CRCs) were hired to provide teaching support at the higher secondary and high school levels. The government plans to continue the rationalization process in the current academic year to manage the staff shortage.
Additionally, 594 Lecturer positions have been submitted to the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC) for recruitment, which will help alleviate the shortage of lecturers across Jammu and Kashmir, including in Ramban district.
Regarding the implementation of hardship allowances for employees in remote regions, the Minister clarified that while the government recognizes the importance of incentivizing teachers and staff in challenging areas, no proposal for such allowances is currently under consideration.
