Nearly 38 per cent of sanctioned teaching positions in the Karnah constituency of north Kashmir are lying vacant, the government informed the House, raising concerns over the impact on academic standards in the region’s schools.
In a written reply tabled in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, Education Minister Sakina Itoo disclosed that out of 405 sanctioned teaching posts, only 250 are currently filled, leaving 155 positions vacant for several years.
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Masters and lecturers among worst affected
The shortage is particularly acute at the senior levels. According to official figures shared in the Assembly, against a sanctioned strength of 83 lecturer posts, only 28 positions have been filled, while 55 remain vacant.
Rural schools in the constituency have also been hit hard. Of the 98 sanctioned posts of Masters, just 63 are in place, leaving 35 vacancies unfilled. The situation has contributed to persistent staffing gaps in schools located in remote and border areas of Karnah.
At the elementary level, the government said that against 224 sanctioned Teacher Grade posts, only 159 teachers are working, with 65 posts lying vacant.
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Impact on students
This has impacted the teaching process and performance, especially in rural schools. The reduced number of teachers to teach various classes and subjects means that students are suffering because of the shortage.
The government attributed the vacancies to the freezing of posts following the absorption of Teacher Grade II and III employees in 2018, which was linked to salary withdrawal and administrative restructuring within the department.
This was in response to a question asked by Javed Ahmad Mirchal, who asked for information on the number of staff in schools in the constituency.
