Examiner Bureau | Srinagar:
Punjabi language education in Jammu and Kashmir continues to face a staffing gap at the Higher Secondary level, with 19 of the 30 sanctioned teacher posts lying vacant, the government has informed the Legislative Assembly.
Only 11 of the sanctioned posts are currently filled, including one teacher recently appointed following selection by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission. The School Education Department said the recruitment process for the remaining vacancies has already been initiated through Departmental Promotion Committees and recruiting agencies.
The figures were disclosed in response to an unstarred question by MLA Narinder Singh Raina, who sought details about the availability of Punjabi language teachers in schools and colleges, particularly in areas with a significant Sikh population.
Of the 30 sanctioned posts, 22 are in Jammu division and eight in Kashmir division. The department said that, pending permanent recruitment, available Punjabi teaching staff were also being identified and deployed to schools through rationalisation.
However, the government has not specified a timeline for filling all the vacant posts.
Punjabi has been introduced as a language subject under the Humanities faculty at the Higher Secondary level alongside Urdu, Hindi, Kashmiri, Dogri and other languages in educational institutions across Jammu and Kashmir.
At the college level, the Higher Education Department said Punjabi is being offered as a Major or Minor subject under the National Education Policy-2020 in 29 government colleges in Jammu division and six in Kashmir division.
The language is also being taught as Communication Punjabi under the Ability Enhancement Course in these institutions.
The government said permanent Punjabi faculty was available in colleges offering the subject, while academic arrangements were being made in government degree colleges where regular faculty was not available.
However, details contained in the annexure to the government reply indicate that staffing gaps remain in several colleges.
In Jammu division, the annexure covering 29 colleges records 996 students, against 27 sanctioned posts and 23 filled posts, leaving four vacancies overall. Vacancies are listed at institutions including Government College for Women, Gandhi Nagar; Government Degree College Basholi; Government Degree College Billawar; Government Degree College Mahanpur; Government Degree College Reasi; Government Degree College Dharmari; Government Degree College Budhal and Government Degree College Mendhar.
The annexure also contains some entries where the reported number of filled posts exceeds the sanctioned strength.
In Kashmir division, six colleges offering Punjabi have a reported enrolment of 38 students, with six sanctioned posts and three filled posts. Vacancies are listed at Government College for Women, Baramulla; Government College for Women, M.A. Road, Srinagar; and Government Degree College, Allochibagh.
The government said the Higher Education Department was taking steps to meet staffing requirements through academic arrangements wherever permanent faculty was unavailable.
The Assembly reply highlights a contrast between the formal expansion of Punjabi education and the availability of teachers to support it. While the language has been incorporated into the curriculum at the Higher Secondary level and is available in dozens of government colleges under the NEP-2020 framework, more than 60 per cent of sanctioned Punjabi teacher posts at the Higher Secondary level remain vacant.
The government has initiated the process of filling the vacancies, but until permanent appointments are completed, rationalisation and academic arrangements will continue to be relied upon to ensure that students studying Punjabi have access to teaching support.
