BREAKING NEWS
The current situation defies both logic and established academic hierarchies. Research scholars pursuing their PhDs earn more than qualified Assistant Professors who have already completed their doctorates and are actively teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students. This inverted compensation structure sends a troubling message about how the state values completed academic achievement versus ongoing research.
A Crisis of Pay Disparity That Threatens Higher Education
In an era where education is considered the backbone of societal progress, Jammu & Kashmir's higher education sector faces a disturbing reality: highly qualified PhD holders working as contractual Assistant Professors are earning less than what Junior Research Fellows received seven years ago. This stark pay disparity raises fundamental questions about the erstwhile state and UT's commitment to quality education and fair employment practices.
The salary structure for contractual Assistant Professors in Jammu & Kashmir reveals a deeply concerning pattern. While the University Grants Commission's 7th Pay Commission mandates a minimum basic pay of ₹57,700 for Assistant Professors across India, the reality in Jammu & Kashmir is drastically different. The Contractual Assistant Professors in government colleges receive a meagre ₹28,000 per month, while even the local state universities offer only ₹45,000 to PhD and NET-qualified candidates. Perhaps most telling is the comparison with research fellowships. When contractual Assistant Professor salaries in the state were fixed at ₹28,000 in 2017-18, Junior Research Fellows were receiving approximately ₹30,000. Today, after two significant hikes, JRFs earn ₹37,000 while Senior Research Fellows pursuing PhDs receive ₹42,000 monthly excluding 16% HRA. Yet contractual Assistant Professors, despite having completed their doctoral degrees, remain frozen at the 2017-18 rate of ₹28,000.
A System That Defies Logic
The current situation defies both logic and established academic hierarchies. Research scholars pursuing their PhDs earn more than qualified Assistant Professors who have already completed their doctorates and are actively teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students. This inverted compensation structure sends a troubling message about how the state values completed academic achievement versus ongoing research. The disparity becomes even more glaring when compared to neighbouring regions. In 2022-2023, Ladakh increased contractual lecturer salaries from ₹40,000 to ₹57,700 per month, aligning with national standards. Meanwhile, Jammu & Kashmir's educators struggle with salaries that haven't seen an increase in over seven years, despite inflation and rising living costs.
The Human Cost of Academic Austerity
Behind these statistics lie real human stories of struggle and frustration. PhD holders who have invested years in their academic pursuits find themselves unable to support their families adequately. The promise of a stable academic career has been replaced by the harsh reality of contractual uncertainty and inadequate compensation. Many of these educators work with the same dedication and bear the same responsibilities as their permanent counterparts, yet receive significantly lower compensation. They prepare lectures, conduct research, guide students, and contribute to institutional development, all while facing the constant uncertainty of contract renewals and inadequate pay. The psychological impact cannot be understated. These highly qualified professionals often feel demoralized and undervalued, leading many to consider leaving the academic profession altogether. This brain drain threatens the very foundation of higher education in the region.
The Vacant Post Paradox
Perhaps the most perplexing aspect of this crisis is the simultaneous existence of thousands of vacant permanent teaching positions in Schools, Colleges, and the Universities. According to Government reports, more than 8000 teacher posts remain vacant only across the Jammu & Kashmir's School Education Department. The School Education Department has frozen General Line Teacher posts since 2018, with only 50% recently being de-frozen for recruitment now. This raises a fundamental question: why resort to contractual appointments when permanent positions are available? The answer appears to lie in a complex web of administrative decisions and financial considerations that prioritize short-term budget management over long-term educational quality and employee welfare. The freezing of permanent posts was initially justified by the need to accommodate Regularized Rehbar-e-Taleem (RET) teachers. However, continuing this administrative decision for more than 7 years is utterly unjustified, and has created a two-tier system where qualified educators are denied permanent employment and fair compensation.
Where are We Heading?
The current trajectory raises serious concerns about the future of higher education in Jammu & Kashmir. If the state continues to undervalue its academic workforce, several consequences are inevitable:
Brain Drain: Qualified educators will migrate to regions offering better compensation and job security. Ladakh's improved salary structure has already demonstrated what fair compensation can achieve in attracting and retaining talent.
Quality Deterioration: Underpaid and demoralized faculty cannot be expected to maintain the same level of commitment and innovation required for quality education.
Institutional Reputation: Universities and colleges that rely heavily on underpaid contractual staff will struggle to maintain their academic standing and attract quality students.
Social Impact: The message being sent to aspiring academics is clear – higher education is not a valued career path in Kashmir. This has resulted in huge disinterest among budding higher education aspirants, the academic rolls in colleges and university have taken a deep dive.
A Call for Immediate Action
The solution to this crisis requires immediate and decisive action from the administration. First, contractual Assistant Professor salaries must be aligned with UGC 7th Pay Commission guidelines, bringing them to at least ₹57,700 as mandated nationally. Second, the state must expedite the recruitment process for permanent positions instead of relying on contractual arrangements. The recent decision to de-freeze 50% of teaching posts is a step in the right direction, but more aggressive action is needed. Third, there must be a clear roadmap for converting existing contractual positions to permanent ones, providing job security and proper career progression to current employees. Fourth, if the government has thought to extend services of some Professors beyond 62 years of age, why not also take necessary initiatives to engage qualified youth in School and Higher Education before a huge swarm of them attain the overage?
The Broader Implications
This issue extends beyond individual hardship to fundamental questions about Kashmir's development priorities. Education is widely recognized as the most effective tool for socio-economic progress, yet the region's approach to academic employment suggests a short-sighted perspective that prioritizes immediate financial savings over long-term human capital development. The comparison with Ladakh is particularly instructive. Despite being carved out from the same state, Ladakh has chosen to invest in its educational workforce by providing fair compensation. This decision reflects an understanding that quality education requires quality educators, and quality educators deserve fair compensation.
Conclusion
The plight of contractual Assistant Professors in Jammu & Kashmir represents more than a labour dispute – it's a crisis of values and priorities. When PhD holders earn less than research scholars, when qualified educators struggle to support their families, and when thousands of permanent positions remain unfilled while contractual appointments proliferate, the system has clearly lost its way. The time for half-measures and administrative excuses has passed. The government must recognize that investing in education means investing in the development. Fair compensation, job security, and career progression are not luxuries but necessities for building a robust educational system. As we stand at this crossroads, the choice is clear: continue down the path of academic austerity and accept the inevitable decline in educational quality, or take bold action to restore dignity and fair compensation to the teaching profession. The future of Jammu & Kashmir's youth and indeed the region's development trajectory hangs in the balance. A society's commitment to education is reflected in how it treats its educators. Currently, that reflection is deeply troubling.
Email:------------------tahashamim11@gmail.com
The current situation defies both logic and established academic hierarchies. Research scholars pursuing their PhDs earn more than qualified Assistant Professors who have already completed their doctorates and are actively teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students. This inverted compensation structure sends a troubling message about how the state values completed academic achievement versus ongoing research.
A Crisis of Pay Disparity That Threatens Higher Education
In an era where education is considered the backbone of societal progress, Jammu & Kashmir's higher education sector faces a disturbing reality: highly qualified PhD holders working as contractual Assistant Professors are earning less than what Junior Research Fellows received seven years ago. This stark pay disparity raises fundamental questions about the erstwhile state and UT's commitment to quality education and fair employment practices.
The salary structure for contractual Assistant Professors in Jammu & Kashmir reveals a deeply concerning pattern. While the University Grants Commission's 7th Pay Commission mandates a minimum basic pay of ₹57,700 for Assistant Professors across India, the reality in Jammu & Kashmir is drastically different. The Contractual Assistant Professors in government colleges receive a meagre ₹28,000 per month, while even the local state universities offer only ₹45,000 to PhD and NET-qualified candidates. Perhaps most telling is the comparison with research fellowships. When contractual Assistant Professor salaries in the state were fixed at ₹28,000 in 2017-18, Junior Research Fellows were receiving approximately ₹30,000. Today, after two significant hikes, JRFs earn ₹37,000 while Senior Research Fellows pursuing PhDs receive ₹42,000 monthly excluding 16% HRA. Yet contractual Assistant Professors, despite having completed their doctoral degrees, remain frozen at the 2017-18 rate of ₹28,000.
A System That Defies Logic
The current situation defies both logic and established academic hierarchies. Research scholars pursuing their PhDs earn more than qualified Assistant Professors who have already completed their doctorates and are actively teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students. This inverted compensation structure sends a troubling message about how the state values completed academic achievement versus ongoing research. The disparity becomes even more glaring when compared to neighbouring regions. In 2022-2023, Ladakh increased contractual lecturer salaries from ₹40,000 to ₹57,700 per month, aligning with national standards. Meanwhile, Jammu & Kashmir's educators struggle with salaries that haven't seen an increase in over seven years, despite inflation and rising living costs.
The Human Cost of Academic Austerity
Behind these statistics lie real human stories of struggle and frustration. PhD holders who have invested years in their academic pursuits find themselves unable to support their families adequately. The promise of a stable academic career has been replaced by the harsh reality of contractual uncertainty and inadequate compensation. Many of these educators work with the same dedication and bear the same responsibilities as their permanent counterparts, yet receive significantly lower compensation. They prepare lectures, conduct research, guide students, and contribute to institutional development, all while facing the constant uncertainty of contract renewals and inadequate pay. The psychological impact cannot be understated. These highly qualified professionals often feel demoralized and undervalued, leading many to consider leaving the academic profession altogether. This brain drain threatens the very foundation of higher education in the region.
The Vacant Post Paradox
Perhaps the most perplexing aspect of this crisis is the simultaneous existence of thousands of vacant permanent teaching positions in Schools, Colleges, and the Universities. According to Government reports, more than 8000 teacher posts remain vacant only across the Jammu & Kashmir's School Education Department. The School Education Department has frozen General Line Teacher posts since 2018, with only 50% recently being de-frozen for recruitment now. This raises a fundamental question: why resort to contractual appointments when permanent positions are available? The answer appears to lie in a complex web of administrative decisions and financial considerations that prioritize short-term budget management over long-term educational quality and employee welfare. The freezing of permanent posts was initially justified by the need to accommodate Regularized Rehbar-e-Taleem (RET) teachers. However, continuing this administrative decision for more than 7 years is utterly unjustified, and has created a two-tier system where qualified educators are denied permanent employment and fair compensation.
Where are We Heading?
The current trajectory raises serious concerns about the future of higher education in Jammu & Kashmir. If the state continues to undervalue its academic workforce, several consequences are inevitable:
Brain Drain: Qualified educators will migrate to regions offering better compensation and job security. Ladakh's improved salary structure has already demonstrated what fair compensation can achieve in attracting and retaining talent.
Quality Deterioration: Underpaid and demoralized faculty cannot be expected to maintain the same level of commitment and innovation required for quality education.
Institutional Reputation: Universities and colleges that rely heavily on underpaid contractual staff will struggle to maintain their academic standing and attract quality students.
Social Impact: The message being sent to aspiring academics is clear – higher education is not a valued career path in Kashmir. This has resulted in huge disinterest among budding higher education aspirants, the academic rolls in colleges and university have taken a deep dive.
A Call for Immediate Action
The solution to this crisis requires immediate and decisive action from the administration. First, contractual Assistant Professor salaries must be aligned with UGC 7th Pay Commission guidelines, bringing them to at least ₹57,700 as mandated nationally. Second, the state must expedite the recruitment process for permanent positions instead of relying on contractual arrangements. The recent decision to de-freeze 50% of teaching posts is a step in the right direction, but more aggressive action is needed. Third, there must be a clear roadmap for converting existing contractual positions to permanent ones, providing job security and proper career progression to current employees. Fourth, if the government has thought to extend services of some Professors beyond 62 years of age, why not also take necessary initiatives to engage qualified youth in School and Higher Education before a huge swarm of them attain the overage?
The Broader Implications
This issue extends beyond individual hardship to fundamental questions about Kashmir's development priorities. Education is widely recognized as the most effective tool for socio-economic progress, yet the region's approach to academic employment suggests a short-sighted perspective that prioritizes immediate financial savings over long-term human capital development. The comparison with Ladakh is particularly instructive. Despite being carved out from the same state, Ladakh has chosen to invest in its educational workforce by providing fair compensation. This decision reflects an understanding that quality education requires quality educators, and quality educators deserve fair compensation.
Conclusion
The plight of contractual Assistant Professors in Jammu & Kashmir represents more than a labour dispute – it's a crisis of values and priorities. When PhD holders earn less than research scholars, when qualified educators struggle to support their families, and when thousands of permanent positions remain unfilled while contractual appointments proliferate, the system has clearly lost its way. The time for half-measures and administrative excuses has passed. The government must recognize that investing in education means investing in the development. Fair compensation, job security, and career progression are not luxuries but necessities for building a robust educational system. As we stand at this crossroads, the choice is clear: continue down the path of academic austerity and accept the inevitable decline in educational quality, or take bold action to restore dignity and fair compensation to the teaching profession. The future of Jammu & Kashmir's youth and indeed the region's development trajectory hangs in the balance. A society's commitment to education is reflected in how it treats its educators. Currently, that reflection is deeply troubling.
Email:------------------tahashamim11@gmail.com
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