Decades of neglect have left vocational educators underpaid, overworked, and without recognition. They demand systemic reforms to restore dignity, support, and fair treatment in the education system.
Since 2016, thousands of vocational teachers across Jammu and Kashmir have been working under conditions that are neither fair nor sustainable. Despite our deep commitment to education and nation-building, we remain among the most neglected segments in the education system — overburdened, underpaid, and systematically ignored.
Vocational teachers are caught in a web of conflicting obligations. We are accountable to three separate authorities — the SamagraShikshaAbhiyan, the Vocational Training Partners (VTPs), and the school administrations. Each entity requires different records, reports, and compliance, leading to excessive administrative chaos. Rather than focusing on teaching and mentoring students, we are often drowning in paperwork.
Our workload is disproportionately high. Beyond our teaching duties, we are tasked with UDISE data entry, clerical tasks, exam supervision, student counselling, and the day-to-day administrative running of schools. We are often made to handle responsibilities well outside the scope of our original role — all without additional compensation or institutional support.
And despite doing the work of multiple roles, our monthly salary remains ₹20,000 — the same amount we’ve been receiving since 2016. No increments. No job security. No transfer policy. Salaries are delayed for two to three months at a time, leaving Vocational teachers financially crippled and emotionally distressed.
We ask: what crime did we commit? Was it investing in professional and technical degrees? Was it choosing to serve in government schools, often in rural or underserved areas? While we struggle to provide for our families, pay rent, or plan a future, the system continues to treat us like disposable labor.
We do not seek sympathy — we demand justice. It is high time the government recognizes our contribution and addresses the following with urgency:
Implementation of a clear job policy with proper employment terms
Regular salary disbursal and periodic increments
Unification of reporting systems to reduce administrative overload
Provision of transfer options and career growth pathways
In 2025, we are still fighting for the most basic of professional rights. This is not just a financial crisis — it is a crisis of dignity.
We appeal to the government, education departments, and the public: stand with vocational teachers. Without us, the foundation of practical education collapses.
Bilal Ahmad Kumar
nn***********@***il.com