Regularisation of Under-Graduate erstwhile SSA teachers: Committee yet to submit its recommendations to Govt

Srinagar: Despite elapsing six months, the Governor Administration has remained indecisive about the conversion of the under graduate erstwhile SSA teachers. The inordinate delay has left the teachers in a state of distress and great despair.
The graduate SSA teachers were converted into teacher Grade II cadre on basis of the recommendation of an official panel. Later, the same panel was given an extension of one month on December 25 and was entrusted to examine the issue of undergraduate SSA teachers for their conversion Grade II teachers.
The same committee had earlier given recommendation to regularise erstwhile SSA teachers possessing graduation as their minimum qualification.
However, the aggrieved under-graduate teachers who are working in the department for past more than 13 years said the government has remained indecisive about their conversion into Grade II, creating uncertainty among the left out lot.
“The committee was supposed to complete the process by one month, but till date there has been communication between the government and the committee,” Hilal Ahmad a teacher from Kupwara district said. He accused the government of putting the issue at the back burner.
They said over 7000 undergraduate teachers have been left out by the governor administration after it issued State Administrative Council (SAC) decision for regularisation of graduate SSA teachers, RMSA masters and head-teachers.
“We fail to understand why government is delaying the process. Government has disowned us despite utilising our services in schools and by deputing for other non-teaching jobs at time of election or census,” Adil Hamid, an aggrieved teacher from Anantnag, said.
They said a major chunk of under graduate teachers are at the verge of retirement and can’t go for graduation course at the present stage. “It is not only SSA teachers but in past department has recruited under graduate teachers through SSRB selection.
They are working without any stress and there is no condition set for them to enhance qualification as graduate. Government has victimised only SSA teachers,” the teachers said.
In 2018, the governor administration accorded sanction for creation of teacher grade-II cadre with effect from September 2018 in school education department for filling these posts by regularised Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers with a graduate degree from a recognised university. Under-graduate teachers were not considered for the same and their issue is still lingering with the department.
Secretary school education department, Sarita Chauhan said the department is working on the conversion of undergraduate teachers into Grade II cadre. “The issue has not been shelved but we are at it. Committee has already convened a meeting and second meeting is likely to be convened in coming week,” she said.