Education is a crucial component of societal transformation and an effective input for nation-building. It is intricately related to various aspects of human life and the environment. Jammu and Kashmir is widely recognized as a paradise on earth, renowned not only for its natural beauty but also for being a melting pot of diverse cultures. Intellectual development has been an integral part of the lives of the people of Jammu and Kashmir since ancient times. Kashmir is the birthplace of Mahayana Buddhism and is renowned for its contribution to Shaivite philosophy. From Kalhan to Lal Ded, and from Jonaraja to Rasool Mir – known as the John Keats of Kashmir – the people of the region have always held a prominent place in the intellectual world. For centuries, Jammu and Kashmir has been the home of great Sanskrit scholars, and one of the best forms of Hinduism – Shaivism – has thrived here. The Hindus and Muslims had their own systems of education, imparted in the Partshalas and Maktabs, and communicated through the sacred languages of Sanskrit, Arabic, Persian, and various vernaculars.
Schools play a vital role in the lives of young people, as they significantly impact their present and future development. Jammu and Kashmir, being a sensitive zone, is characterized by economic conditions that are not robust, particularly for the common people. A majority of the poor people reside in rural areas, and a significant proportion of the children enrolled in government schools come from these subaltern groups. Due to their home conditions, these children struggle to receive adequate parental attention and support to enhance their academic performance. According to a study conducted by UNICEF, economically disadvantaged children tend to suffer more academically in developing and underdeveloped countries, such as India. This report serves as a reminder that children from economically humble backgrounds tend to perform lower than their peers from more advantageous backgrounds, in terms of educational outcomes.
Hence, the pressing question is how to make these schools more inclusive. With the proliferation of private schools in the educational landscape of the UT, government schools should aim to provide a type of education that promotes the philosophy of social inclusion and equality. However, the current situation is quite the opposite in rural areas.
The government schools in the valley are equipped with sophisticated labs and infrastructure, but there is a noticeable disparity in the representation of teaching staff between the schools in urban areas and those in rural areas, especially in the far-flung regions. The acute shortage of teaching staff in these schools has triggered a “crisis-like” situation. Various government schools in several districts of Jammu and Kashmir continue to grapple with a shortage of teaching staff. The School Education department is facing the worst of the situation of the increasing gap between sanctioned strength and in-position teaching staff.
While schools in remote areas are facing staff deficiencies, the department has posted surplus staff in schools located in towns and on roadsides. Rough estimates indicate that more than 2000 teachers are deputed in Srinagar city only, where the teacher-pupil ratio is the lowest in the valley. Teachers with good connections often prefer to be deputed in offices or at the choicest locations, leaving the students of rural and far-flung areas high and dry. Except in a few government schools that too in urban areas, there is a dearth of teaching staff, especially subject teachers. One will find two to three teachers in a Primary School which have at least 5 classes with a good enrolment. To substantiate my argument, let me provide an example. In a town locality, there is a high school (School A) that only caters to 9th and 10th graders. The school has teaching staff strength of 15 members, dividing the two classes into four sections results in approximately 24-25 classes per day. Consequently, each teacher delivers a maximum of two lectures per day.
On the other hand, another high school (School B) provides classes ranging from pre-nursery to 10th grade, which amounts to nearly 13 classes. This translates to a total of 65-70 periods that need to be conducted daily. However, the school has a teaching staff strength of only seven members. Even if all the teachers take a class at a time, six classes would still remain vacant. Thus, these seven teachers would have to deliver 10-11 lectures daily to do justice to their students, which is literally not possible because a working school day can be divided into only 7-8 periods. Furthermore, such a workload is detrimental to the teachers’ well-being and leads to poor academic outcomes.
Department of School Education needs to look seriously into the matter and end this disparity. Students of economically disadvantaged groups also have the right to quality education. The rationalization of the teaching staff should be done on the principle of the number of periods, subjects as well as on the principle of enrollment. This process should be seen more from an inclusive approach rather than an administrative one.

The writer is a Vocational Trainer at Government High School Logripora Anantnag and can be mailed at [email protected]

Shakir Nisar