JAMMU: Raising voice against the lopsided attitude of State Government on the implementation of recommendation made by Justice Verma Report (JVR) regarding introduction of two year B.Ed Programme in Jammu only, Forum of Recognised Colleges (FORCE) on Sunday termed the move as discriminatory and against the interests of youth belonging to this region of the State.
Addressing a press conference here at Press Club Jammu, former Minister and Forum President, Harbans Singh said that the decision on the issue without taking cognisance of other issues is a step to wither away this professional course.
Urging the government to keep the decision on implementing JVR in abeyance at least for one year on the pattern of Kashmir province, President FORCE demanded that B.Ed Degree should be made mandatory for the appointment of teachers thus maintaining parity with other states of the country.
“If the recommendations of Justice Verma Report can be relaxed in Kashmir Valley then what circumstances forced the authorities to introduce two years B.Ed programme in Jammu province?” Harbans questioned.
He said that this attitude of State Government will be detrimental for Jammuites as they will lose one year in comparison to their counterparts in Kashmir Division.
“This is sheer prejudice and matter of discrimination as different yardsticks have been adopted for the same course that too, in the same State,” he pointed out.
“The new scheme with 50 to 100 students as intake capacity in B.Ed colleges is meaningless and like a ripple in the sea,” Singh mentioned adding that it requires huge investments in terms of infrastructure i.e. buildings, Labs, libraries, etc developed by the unaided colleges of education to provide professional education to the youth within and outside the State.
Harbans urged the government and Vice-Chancellor University of Jammu to uphold the uniform status of the State by introducing one year B.Ed programme at least for the ensuing session (2015-16), so that double standards are not adopted in the same State giving an edge to particular region.
Welcoming the implementation of JVR, Singh said the preparations of its adaptations should have been taken much earlier.
Kuldeep Wahi, Gambhir Singh Charak, Manmeet Singh, Ashok Kumar Khajuria, Hari Singh Chib, M.S Katoch, T.M Tariq, S.K Puri and Arun Kumar were also present.