For more than a decade, a large section of Jammu and Kashmir’s educated youth has been caught in a paradox — they have been the backbone of the higher education system, yet remain excluded from its permanent structure. These are the contractual lecturers who have devoted 10 to 15 years — the prime years of their lives — to teaching in colleges across the Union Territory.

Many among them completed their post-graduation more than 15 years ago, earned their PhDs a decade back, cleared NET or SET, and contributed to academia through research papers, publications, and seminars. Yet, during those years, permanent recruitment notifications for college posts were either absent or so rare that most never got a chance to apply. The last large-scale recruitment drive in higher education was in 2016 — and since then, the opportunities have been scarce.
In the meantime, life demanded its dues. Financial responsibilities, family needs, and survival in a meager contractual salary became the daily reality. These teachers gave their full time, energy, and intellect to higher education, often managing classes, mentoring students, and fulfilling every academic duty asked of them — but without the dignity of a permanent post or even a basic salary scale.
Earlier, there was a provision that a contractual employee who completed seven years of continuous service could be regularized. That law has now been changed. The education department, which should have been a source of hope for such highly qualified youth, appears instead to be prolonging their uncertainty — and in doing so, ignoring the psychological impact of such instability.
Preparing for a competitive examination after more than a decade of full-time teaching on a meager salary is not just challenging — for many, it is almost impossible. The mental stress, financial pressure, and sense of professional stagnation create an environment where focus on studies becomes a luxury. As psychologists note, when the mind is consumed by immediate survival needs, long-term academic preparation suffers.
The irony is sharp: candidates with PhDs, publications in reputed journals, and years of practical teaching experience are still treated as stop-gap arrangements. In a more just system, such merit and service would have been rewarded early with permanent appointments. Instead, the government continues to “utilize” this talent pool temporarily, enjoying the fruits of their labor while offering no security in return.
If this cycle is not addressed, Jammu and Kashmir risks losing an entire generation of experienced educators — not because they are unwilling to serve, but because the system has denied them stability and respect. Higher education can only thrive when those who nurture it are themselves given a fair and permanent place within it.

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