SHAKEELA ANDRABI
SRINAGAR: The ban on government teachers for working in private tuition centres and other departments in J&K has become a persistent problem as the repeated orders by the J&K government have failed to see effective implementation on ground level. Despite clear-cut government order, private coaching centres continue to hire the teaching faculty from government schools, colleges and universities. Complaints have also started pouring in that some coaching centres have hired engineers of different government departments who take classes at these private tuition centres. Recently on December 23, 2022 Crime Branch Kashmir has filed a charge-sheet against an education department employee, who was also drawing salary from mechanical department of SKIMS. In a statement, the Economic Offence Wing of Crime Branch Kashmir said that the case was registered upon a receipt of written complaint, wherein the complainant alleged that Fayaz Ahmad Bhat is working as CPW in Education department since year-1997 and is also working as casual labour in mechanical department of SKIMS from November-2005.
Earlier this year, the School Education Department (SED) invoked Rule 10 of the J&K Government Employees (Conduct) Rules, 1971 and issued circular instruction to the teaching faculty, prohibiting them from taking private tuitions. The government also referred to the Chapter (IV) Section 28 of the RTE Act, 2009, which prohibits private tuition by teachers saying, “No teacher should engage himself or herself in private tuition or private teaching or any other activity.” However, given the poor implementation of the orders, the School Education Department (SED) is forced to issue the orders every winter prior to the commencement of the new academic session in the schools. During winter when the educational institutions remain closed, the government school teachers, masters, and lecturers take classes at private coaching centres in violation of government rules. It has been learnt that these lecturers lure the students to provide good marks in internal and external practical examinations if they attend their classes at the private coaching institutes where they teach.” The Government orders remain confined to only papers due to which the employees violate the orders and take classes at private tuition centres, and are working as casual employees in Prasar Bharati,” locals told STATE TIMES.
The coaching centres and Prasar Bharati hire the government employees despite the strict directions to ensure that no government employee is imparting teaching in their coaching centre and working in other departments. “As per the directions, the proprietor has to submit an affidavit duly attested by the judicial magistrate but till date the department has not demanded any affidavit from any proprietor,” the official said. He said more than 50 percent faculty in coaching centres comprises the teaching faculty from government schools and colleges. The orders are mere eyewash. The government has not conducted a single inspection of any coaching centre to check the faculty of the institute
“The government teachers hired by these institutes do not focus on their primary job and rarely attend their classes in schools. Some have opened their own private coaching centres and are running them as silent partners,” an official said. Meanwhile, a top official of the Administrative Department said that the government had already banned the teachers, masters and lecturers from giving classes at private tuitions or any other jobs. “The government has banned private practice of doctors as well, but these doctors still do it clandestinely. Same is the case with these teachers,” the official said.