Cleaning deadwood

Almost four months after more than one dozen employees were terminated and retired prematurely from different departments, Jammu and Kashmir administration plans to show the door to ‘non-performing’ teachers soon. The administration said that the Department of School Education following the directions of the government, will soon be announcing premature retirement of teachers on the basis of either ‘non-performance’, corruption charges or having affilation with any political party or terrorist outfit.The School Education Department has almost completed its exercise of showing the door to some of the teachers and the list is ready. A list of teachers involved in corruption, inefficiency and anti-national activities during service are under scanner and likely to face action.Earlier in the month of September-October last year, the Jammu and Kashmir administration had retired around 15 of its employees.The steps for major reforms are being taken in the School Education Department to bring a major change and motivate people towards government schools.
The government is working on a scheme to bring qualitative improvement in government schools.Notably, there are 29708 government schools across the Union Territory having approximately 1,76,459 teachers but despite having a healthy number of faculty, the enrollment in the government schools is dropping.The government apart from retiring teachers is also soon merging nearly 2000 government schools thus eyeing good results in next five years.The Jammu and Kashmir government previously sacked employees in a major crackdown on corruption and misconduct.Employees, of various ranks, were terminated on charges of corruption and misconduct under Article 226(2) of the J&K Civil Service Regulations.It was nothing new but involved invoking the existing clause of Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services Rules (JKCSR), as per which the Government has to assess performance of an officer/official after he/she completes 48 years of age or 22 years of service.However, s Principal Secretary School Education Department has written to the Directors of School Education, Jammu and Kashmir Division, asking them to prepare a list of teachers whose performance is very poor and are involved in other illegal practices including corruption.Besides, departmental action is also being taken against such teachers who are running private tuition centers, but their attendance in schools is very low.The initiative comes amid a recent notification by the administration, bringing about an amendment to Article 226 (2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Service Regulations to include a provision allowing the administration to retire at any time ‘inefficient, ineffective officials and employees, including those with doubtful integrity’ in public interest after he or she has completed 22 years of service or attained 48 years of age.