JAMMU: In yet another scandal rocking the State Education Department, promotion of teachers on the alleged fake B. Ed degrees have raised several questions over the lack of accountability among those manning the department.
Over 450 teachers have been promoted as Masters by virtue of two lists released by the Directorate of Education, Jammu during 2013 and 2014, according to reply to a petition filed under Right to Information Act. The beneficiaries have got promoted on the basis of degrees issued by allegedly unrecognised Jamia Urdu Aligarh University, Uttar Pradesh
The University of Jammu vide its letter No PIO/JU/14/10933 dated 30th March 2014 has clearly stated that “Jamia Urdu Aligarh University (UP) is neither recognised by UGC nor University of Jammu. This university is also not the Member of Association of Indian Universities, New Delhi.”
As per promotion list issued by the Director School Education Jammu vide No. DSEJ/NG/M/Prom./7255/681 dated 1th February 2014, 1193 trained teachers were promoted as Masters. Of these over 300 teachers have been promoted on the basis of B.Ed degrees obtained from Open Universities through distance-mode particularly from Jamia Urdu Aligarh University (UP). Similarly, in the promotion list of 2013 under No: DSEJ/NJ/promo/m 3804-16 issued on 23rd April, 2013, over 150- teachers possessing B.Ed degrees from Jamia Urdu Aligarh University (U.P.) stand promoted.
The petition under RTI had been filed by Naresh Kumar, President, J&K Post Graduate Teachers Association.
Naresh Kumar alleged that many teachers who were enrolled in B.Ed course for the session 2012-13 in Kashmir/Jammu University were deliberately left. The promotion orders were issued on 11th February 2014 without waiting for the results of Kashmir and Jammu Universities, which were declared on 22nd February 2014 and 15th March 2014 respectively.
The aggrieved teachers had brought the matter of fake B.Ed degrees to the notice of Director School Education, Jammu who in turn forwarded the complaint vide letter number. DSEJ/legal/10833 dated 13th August 2014 to the Secretary School Education for clarification about the validity of B.Ed degree acquired from Jamia Urdu Aligarh University (UP). However, the Secretary Education did not respond to the complaint of such a serious nature at all.
When contacted, Secretary School Education Nirmal Sharma expressed ignorance over the issue.
Joint Director SIE H R Pakhroo, who was acting as Director Education and had sought directions from Secretary School Education on the complaint of teachers with regard to Jamia Urdu Aligarh being unrecognised could not be contacted for his comments, as his mobile phone remained continuously switched off.
The credentials of the Jamia Urdu Aligarh (UP) came to question when Rajouri Police conducted a raid during the examinations by it on 28th December 2013. The police had seized the records.
The then SSP Rajouri, Mubassr Latiffi said, ” At around 10:00 PM we conducted a raid when B. Ed exam was going on in a private school at Gambhir Muglan in Manjakote Tehsil of district Rajouri.”
Thirteen candidates, all government teachers, appearing for examination late night, were nabbed while others managed to escape taking advantage of darkness. During investigation, it was established that the Centre was affiliated to Jamia Urdu Aligarh University of UP and the government teachers of Poonch and Rajouri area were appearing in the Urdu paper. Interestingly, the exam was to be conducted at 10:00 A M that day but the organisers chose 10:00 PM for obvious reasons.
FIR 98/2013, under Sections 409/120-B/420 and 2/3 RPC was against them.
Police sources said that those arrested during the late night examination included Zaffar Iqbal- Principal, resident of Gambhir Muglan Rajouri, Mohd Riaz, son of Raj Din, resident of Mandi, Shakeel Ahmed, son of Gul Mohd, resident of Mandi, Mohd Ayaz, son of Abdul Rehman resident of Surankote, Shabir Ahmed, son of Manzoor Ahmed, resident of Khori, Bashir Ahmed, son of Ghulam Hussain, resident of Ari, Noor Mohd, son of Mohd Shafiq, resident of Harhi Surankote, Showkat Hussain, son of Mohd Ashraf, resident of Chhajla, Sabir Hussain, son of Mohd Sher resident of Ari, Sanjeet Kumar, son of Soni Lal resident of Sukla, Mumtaz Ahmed, son of Abdul Rashid, resident of Bela, Bashir Hussain, son of Ghulam Mohammed, resident of Mandi and Irfan Rather, son of Ghulam Mohammed, resident of Mendhar.
–>VIVEK SHARMA