BREAKING NEWS, OPINION, PIRPUNJAAL

Uniform rules-Norms for Grant of exams permission

In pursuance to Govt.orde No :251-Edu of 1981 dated: 14-2-1981 Headmaster of high School , Tehsil Education officer and principal of Higher Secondary School were delegated powers to accord sanction to permission in favour of teachers to appear in various examinations as a privates candidate but B.Ed was an exception.All these officers were competent to grant permission In favour of teacher subject to fulfilment of following conditions. The teacher must have put in three years continuous service in the department before appearing in the examination .
Teacher must not utilize their duty hours for their personal studies purpose so that studies of the students or smooth functioning of the School may not be affected in any way.
Prior to 14-02-1981 same rules/norms as specified in Govt order dated 14-2-1981as had been prescribed vide Govt.order NO :1315-Edu of 1973 dated 13-8-1973.
There had been a provision of granting incentive increment also in favour of teachers who had acquired qualification of B.A , M.A, M.phill or P.hD on their own expenses after seeking permission from the competent authority .Under SRO 807 dated 26-12-1978 even headmaster of High School and principal of Higher Secondary School had been entitled to get two advance increments for acquiring P.hD degree after seeking permission. This proves that improvement in the qualification of an incumbent had a good impact upon the quality of teaching as well as on smooth administration that is why incentive increments were sanctioned in their favour.
There after during the year 1984 Government modified the order and delegated such powers to District Education officers .This process of sanctioning permission by District Education Officers which continued up to 1991 when under goverenment order NO: 1129-Edu of 1991 dated 10-12-1991 powers to accord sanction to examination permission were once again delegated to Headmaster, Zonal Education officer and principal of Higher Secondary School .Zonal Education officers were delegates power to accord sanction to examination permission in favour of teachers working under their control. Headmaster/Principal in favour of teachers working in their respective control. Chief Education officer in favour of Masters and Director School Education in favour of Hearmasters reads the Government order dated 10-12-1991.All the officers were competent to accord sanction to examination permission in favour of incumbents fulfilling the conditions laid down in Government order NO :251-Edu of 1981 dated 14-02-1981.
During the year 1998 such powers delegated to Headmaster, Zonal Education officers , principal and Chief Educationn officers were withdrawn and again delegated to Director School Education Jammu for according sanction to examination permission in favour of teachers and Master of Jammu Division.
Vide Director School Education Jammu’s circular NO ; DSEJ/Trg/ 3660-80 dated 31-05 – 2011 new rules/ norms had been framed for Grant of examination permission in favour of teachers, Masters and Lecturers .Under this rule an incumbent is required to seek prior permission before appearing in an examination which is termed as pre-facto exam permission. The committee after scrutinizing the case file will check whether the applicant has applied to seek admission /enrolment from a UGC recognized university and after completion of formalities will allow the applicant to seek admission from the concerned University in private capacity or through distance Education mode.
After passing the examination for which pre-fact exam permission has been accorded now the incumbent will again submit a file along with all the requisite formalties for grant of post facto examination permission for making entry in the service book of the concerned .
The committee after scrutinizing the case and verifying the genuineness of the University and all the required dcomments along with pre-facto examination permission already granted shall submit the case to Directorate for according necessary post facto examination permission for entery of degree in the service book.
During the year 2016 this procedure has been modified and once again power to accord permission in favour of teachers have been delegated to chief Education officer but under this rule again a teacher is required to seek permission twice , once pre-facto examination before appearing in the examination and thereafter post facto exam permission after passing the examination .
School Education Department vide circular NO :Edu/Misc/NG/04 of 2004 dated : 15-10-2004 had also framed rule for improvement in Academic qualification by Rehbar-e-Taleem teacheres/guide which reads as under:
” Teachers/teaching guides engaged under Rehbar-e-Taleem Scheem , Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan including Education Gurantee Scheem who are desirous of improving their academic qualification should be allowed to do so as a private private candidate because such improvement will necessarily impact upon the quality of teaching of such personals.”
This circular indicates that under these norms an incumbent can appear immediately after his appointment as Rehbar-e-Taleem teacher/teaching guide on honorarium basis where as permanent General line teacher is not allowed to appear in the examination up to completing three years continuous servic . Thus it can not be understood as to why two yardstick have been applied when nature of work of both category of teachers is same.
From the facts mentioned above it become apparent clear that teacher in Jammu Division have been facing acute hardships in enhancing their qualification during the in service period because they are required to obtain pre-facto examination permission before appearing in the examination and thereafter post-facto examination permission after passing the examination for the purpose of making entry of degree in their service book .In this way it is a lengthy , energy and time consuming processes.
if the procedure of according sanction to examination permission in favour of teachers of Kashmir Division is considered then we shall find that teachers of Kashmir Division are not required to obtain any sort of permission but simply they are required to get leave sanctioned in their favour by their drawing and disbursing officer concerned for the days/ period they may appear in the examination. This fact is evident from a circular issued by Director School Education Kashmir vide circular NO : Estt/III/A/5361-5511 dated 02-11-2000 and a circular published in esteemed Greater Kashmir dated 10-09-2012 vide NO :DIPK/7176 .The same rule is in force in Kashmir Division at present also .
Now when nature of work and responsibilities of teachers of both the division are considered then we shall find the work are responsibilities are same for the teachers of both the division. There is also one recruitment Rules and also same promotion rule then it is not understandable that why rules/norms for Grant of examination permission are different in two divisions.
Being a student of political Science and having full knowledge of constitution of India I am of the opinion that in the interest of equity and justice there must be uniform rules/norms for Grant of examination permission in favour of teachers of both the division and preferably the rules/norms which are at present in vogue in Kashmir division are required to be framed for the teachers of Jammu Division which would be in the interest of officers working in different committees ,teaching community and also Chief Education officers as to some extent work load of their offices will decrease.
Now let us see what benefit will occur to the teachers and the students . when teachers will be required to get leave sanctioned in their favour by their drawing and disbursing officer concerned then teacher would not have to visit in the Office of Judicial magistrate for attestation of affidavit required for processing the examination permission case file and thus time so saved can be spend by the teachers in class Room for teaching the students and thus students will also get benefit of this new scheme when it would be implemented .
In the similar way officer appointed as member of committee will get more time for working in their offices and time saved by worthy chief Education officers can be utilised for inspection of Schools which will again give benefit to the head of the institutions as well as to the students .Beside energy of teacher will also be saved which is used by them while travelling from tbeir place of posting to the Office of chief Education officer concerned .
I am the firm opinion that had this matter been brought into the kind note of worthy principal Secretary School Education then certainly he would have considered and reviewed it and certainly a uniform rules/ norms would have been framed for tall the teachers of whole union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Teachers must not utilize their duty hours for their persons studies , teachers must avail leave of whatever may be due in their favour and they may appear through a recognized university are the necessary conditions which can be controlled by the concerned drawing and disburseing officer. So the procedure prevailing in Kashmir division is fully justified and appropriate .
Now this article has been written by mentioning the detailed facts so that on publishing it in this esteemed news paper Hon’ble Lt.Governor , Hon’ble Advisor In charge of School Education Department and worthy principal secretary School Education Department could be requested kindly to frame uniform rules / norms for according sanction to examination permission in favour of all the teachers of union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and keeping in view the facts mentioned in details here in above the rules/ norms presently in vogue in Kashmir Division are most appropriate .