Srinagar, Feb 05, KDC: More than two dozen teachers at the University of Kashmir (KU) have been given ‘additional charge assignments’ at the expense of their primary task of teaching and research, sources have revealed to this news agency.
Sources said these additional assignments range from various administrative and academic positions outside their primary teaching departments, which is badly affecting the students’ timely completion of academic and research degrees.
Only this week, the KU authorities assigned additional charges to at least half a dozen teachers, mostly professors, the sources added.
“Most of these teachers prefer these assignments to stay away from their classrooms, which have been literally outsourced to the contractual faculty,” said KU insiders, adding that some teachers are holding more than two additional assignments “with the blessing of top authorities.”
Sources said one assistant professor from KU’s South Campus, Anantnag, was recently given an additional assignment at main campus, promoting allegations of favouritism. “This teacher from south campus is a permanent teacher in the department. The department is already staff-deficient. We fail to understand how the teacher would do justice with both assignments, especially situated more than 60kms apart,” said KU sources, adding that another KU professor from main campus was on Tuesday assigned the task of director Kupwara campus.
“Will this professor now look after the affairs of Kupwara campus or teach his students at main campus?” asked a KU teacher, wishing not to be identified by name for fear of reprisals from the authorities. “Logic says it was better to handover this assignment to Director North Campus, who could spend two days every week at Kupwara Campus to look after its affairs.”
Sources said it has become a “new trend” with KU teachers to prefer non-teaching assignments to “avoid classroom teaching.” “We are being taught mostly by Contractual staff. Our permanent teachers are mostly busy with additional assignments and are not able to regularly attend to their classes and labs,” said a student from one department at KU’s main campus. “When we try to raise our voice against this injustice, we fear punishment from the concerned teacher.”
Sources said this race to grab additional assignments has led to infighting among teachers who resort to various ways to outdo each other.
KU students say it would be better if KU’s Council which is chaired by Chancellor (LG Manoj Sinha) devises some mechanism whereby teachers are strictly barred from taking up any non-teaching assignments. “LG sir should intervene in the matter and order creation of posts for these additional assignments only to be held by non-teaching staffers,” said a group of students. “This way the teachers would be able to do justice with teaching and research for which they have been primarily engaged.”
Meanwhile, Registrar Kashmir University, Dr. Naseer Iqbal, when contacted, told Kashmir Dot Com, “These are temporary charges, and once the posts are filled, they will be relieved of these additional responsibilities.” (KDC)
