Srinagar: The executive body of PhD Scholars Association in meeting held on last Sunday termed the decision of the J&K Higher Education Department on appointment of contractual lecturers on UGC guidelines and merit highly commendable but expressed it’s concern over the duration of contract for only five months and said it may result in loss of one experience point.
In a statement issued on Monday the Ph D Scholars Association said “It was unanimously agreed upon that the decision taken by the Higher Education Department pertaining to the appointment of Contractual Lecturers in various colleges of Kashmir division on the basis of UGC guidelines and merit is highly commendable and a step in right direction which was long overdue, reiterating therein that the said decision is based on justice suiting the interests of both the students and the teachers.
The statement however said that since the duration of current contract is only five months, there is a serious apprehension on the part of the Contractual Lecturers that it may result in the loss of one experience point but trusting the insight of the concerned authorities the Ph D Scholars Association hoped that they will look into the matter on the basis of justice. The Ph D Scholars Association simultaneously appealed Nodal Principal Kashmir Colleges that the guest faculty in the various colleges should be appointed on the basis merit list and further it also appealed Principals of various colleges of Kashmir division to send the requisition details to the Nodal Principal Kashmir Colleges as early as possible so that unemployed scholars will get a chance to serve the Higher Education Department in the best interest of the students.
The Association in the above referred statement has expressed its deep concern over the inability of the concerned authorities to keep promises on the issue of salary hike as the economic woes faced by the contractual faculty has immensely contributed towards the psychological burden and social degradation of the profession. The statement also said that the salary hike of the College Contractual Lecturers, in accordance with the UGC guidelines, is their right and should be given to them.
The Association expressed its serious concern regarding the internal promotions to Lecturer posts in the Higher Education Department at the cost of the unemployed PhD Scholars and appealed higher authorities to settle the issue on the basis of merit.
Stating that taking into consideration the issue of age-limit, a fervent appeal on humanitarian grounds has been made to the Chairman Public Service Commission to start the process of recruitment as soon as possible to save the career of many brilliant scholars, the above quoted statement further reads “the participants expressed their satisfaction and pleasure on the appointment of Professor Yasmeen Ashai as Director of the Higher Education Department and hoped that the flaws in the higher education system will get addressed.
The concluding para of the statement reads “at the end of the meeting, the President of PhD Scholars Association Kashmir Dr. Tanveer Tahir and all the participants strongly appealed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to look into the matter for the purposes of justice to deserving scholars”.
