Under the RET scheme, many candidates were appointed as teachers without professional teaching qualifications such as a BEd. Recruitment was influenced more by local considerations than merit. On the other side, thousands of highly qualified youth—with PG, BEd, MEd, NET, SET, JRF, and even PhD—remained unemployed. Teaching is not merely about occupying a classroom; it requires professional training, subject knowledge, and the ability to shape young minds.
Rayees Yaseen
The education system in Jammu and Kashmir has been facing serious challenges for many years, and one of the major reasons behind this decline is the flawed recruitment policies adopted by the government. Among these policies, the RET (Rehbar-e-Taleem) scheme remains one of the most controversial. While the scheme was introduced with the intention of addressing teacher shortages in rural areas, its long-term consequences have deeply affected the quality of education as well as the future of highly qualified youth.
Under the RET policy, many candidates were appointed as teachers without professional teaching qualifications, such as a BEd. In several cases, recruitment was influenced more by local considerations than by merit and competency. Teaching is not merely about occupying a classroom; it requires professional training, subject knowledge, communication skills, and the ability to shape young minds. When untrained or underqualified individuals are placed into the education system, the overall standard of learning inevitably suffers.
The problem did not end with initial recruitment. Many RET teachers later pursued their graduation, post-graduation, and B.Ed degrees through distance education programs, including institutions like IGNOU. While distance education has its own value and importance, it cannot always provide the same academic exposure, classroom interaction, research environment, and competitive training that regular degree programs offer. At the same time, thousands of highly qualified youth in Kashmir completed regular degrees, including PG, BEd, MEd, NET, SET, JRF, and even PhD qualifications, yet remained unemployed.
This situation created a painful contradiction in the system. On one side, highly educated and professionally trained candidates continue to struggle for opportunities, even on contractual posts in higher secondary schools and colleges. On the other side, less qualified teachers managed to secure permanent positions and later reached higher institutions despite lacking strong academic and professional competence.
The consequences of this imbalance are severe. Students in schools and higher secondary institutions often fail to receive quality education because the system does not always prioritise merit and teaching excellence. A weak educational foundation ultimately affects the intellectual growth of society itself. At the same time, highly qualified youth face frustration, unemployment, and depression after spending years pursuing higher education and competitive qualifications.
An education system can only progress when merit, competence, and professionalism are respected. Recruitment policies should aim to strengthen institutions, not weaken them. The government must ensure transparent and merit-based appointments where professional qualifications and teaching ability are given priority. Equal opportunities should be created for deserving candidates who have dedicated years to academic excellence.
If reforms are not introduced, the damage will continue across generations. Poor recruitment policies not only destroy the future of educated youth but also compromise the future of students and society as a whole. The need of the hour is a fair, merit-driven, and quality-oriented education system that restores trust among students, teachers, and the educated unemployed population of Kashmir.
The writer (a PhD scholar) is a teacher
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