Jammu, April 25
Quality education has taken a backseat in government-run educational institutions in Jammu and Kashmir. While the School Education Department has drawn flak for dismal performance of government schools in Class X and XII board exams, 15,000 posts of principals, lecturers, headmasters, masters and teachers are lying vacant in the state.

The declining quality of education in government-run high and higher secondary schools could be gauged from the fact that 1,300 schools recorded result below 25 per cent in Class X and XII board exams in the last two years.

“A total of 121 posts of Principals and 3,211 posts of lecturers are vacant in government higher secondary schools. Similarly, 633 posts of Headmasters and 3,528 posts of Masters are laying vacant in the department," sources said.

Besides, 7,472 posts of general line teachers are also vacant in the school education department and 1,583 posts of lecturers, 1,771 masters, 1,551 masters under the RMSA and 3,875 vacancies of teachers were vacant in Jammu region alone, sources said.

"There is immediate need to fill these vacancies as it has affected the quality education in government schools. A total of 240 government high schools registered 0 to 5 pass percentage in the Class X board examination in Jammu region in the last three years," sources said.

They said dismal performance of government-run institutions could also be gauged from the fact that 157 government high and higher secondary schools had scored zero per cent in the board exams (Class X and XII) over the past two years.

"At least 134 government schools registered zero per cent in Class X examinations, while the number of schools registering zero per cent in the exams for Class XII in the last two years was 23," sources said.

"The government schools have fared bad in secondary school examinations over the past decade (2003 to 2012) where the average pass percentage in government schools was 37.02 in contrast to an impressive 73.12 pass percentage of private institutions.”

A senior official of the School Education Department, who insisted not to be named, said, “As many as 50 eligible Headmasters have recently been elevated as ZEOs who will be posted against vacant posts. The vacant posts of Principals will be filled up shortly. As far as the vacancies of lecturers are concerned, 406 post-graduate masters or teachers in various disciplines have been elevated as in-charge lecturers. The elevation in remaining disciplines will be issued shortly." The officer said 2,907 posts of teachers in the Jammu division had already been referred to the Services Selection Board (SSB).

Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, who also holds the portfolio of School Education Department, was unavailable for comments. 

The average pass percentage in government schools was 37.02 in contrast to an impressive 73.12 pass percentage of private institutions over the past decade

A total of 121 posts of Principals and 3,211 posts of lecturers are vacant in government higher secondary schools. Similarly, 633 posts of Headmasters and 3,528 posts of Masters are laying vacant

7,472 posts of general line teachers are also vacant in the school education department and 1,583 posts of lecturers, 1,771 masters, 1,551 masters under the RMSA and 3,875 posts of teachers were vacant in Jammu region

A total of 240 government high schools registered 0 to 5 pass percentage in the Class X board examination in Jammu region in the last three years

134 government schools registered zero per cent in Class X examinations, while the number of schools registering zero per cent in Class XII exams in the last 2 years is 23

Jammu, April 25
To ensure the ready availability of quality generic medicines at low cost, Jan Aushadhi generic drug stores will be set up by the Red Cross in all district hospitals of the state.

The decision was taken at the 168th managing committee meeting of the Indian Red Cross Society, J&K state branch, held under the chairmanship of Governor NN Vohra at Raj Bhawan here today. Vohra emphasised the need for establishing generic drug stores in all district hospitals within next six months to make available certified drugs. He added that gradually the drug stores also need to be opened at the tehsil and block levels.

Referring to the need for intensifying the Red Cross activities in the state, the Governor observed that the district, regional and state branches of the Red Cross should generate the required logistics and resources for promptly and effectively dealing with all emergent situations to provide timely relief and succour to the needy. In this context, he stressed the importance of organising first aid and short-term disaster management courses and security drills for the Red Cross volunteers to build their capacities in undertaking rescue and relief operations in the hour of need.

He said these activities were required to be extended to schools, colleges and universities to increase the number of volunteers. He observed that medical training camps should be organised periodically, particularly in accident-prone, remote and far-flung areas of the state, to train volunteers to render first aid and utilise techniques to save lives in case of any emergent situation till specialised medical assistance becomes available to the needy.

He stressed for all required measures being taken for enlarging the resource base of the Red Cross and suggested that the Red Cross melas should be organised periodically in all districts while the melas at the divisional level could be held at least twice a year to raise resources.

He said corporate houses, philanthropic organisations, NGOs and affluent sections of society need to be approached for contributing to the Red Cross activities. He said the Red Cross collection boxes should be placed at the airports, railway stations, bus stands, hospitals, government offices and other public places to encourage and enable the public to make contributions for giving a fillip to the activities of the Red Cross.

Rajouri, April 25
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said despite no Central assistance for empowering the panchayats in Jammu and Kashmir, the state had granted stipend and best-possible remunerations to the panchayat members on a par with the panchayat members of Haryana, which was the highest in the country.

He said this while addressing a public gathering at Kalakote. Omar said the creation of the democratic institutions in the state was aimed at transferring governance from the civil secretariat to the grass-roots level.

He said powers from 14 departments had been conferred upon the panches and sarpanches to improve governance at the lower level. He asked panchayat members to exercise powers in full and help cultivate good governance at the grass roots.

Omar asked people to beware of divisive and disruptive forces. He said people of this cult would come from within and outside the state to test the strength and temperament of the people of the state and try to divide them through deceitful means.

“It has been observed that some elements are trying time and again to disturb amity and brotherhood (in the state),” he said, beseeching upon people to foil the nefarious designs aimed at disturbing peace.

He asked people to uphold the secular characteristic and strengthen the pluralistic fabric of the state. “Their (divisive forces) game is to separate you from each other on the basis of region, religion and community and get benefit by creating conflicts and confusion between different sections of society and regions,” he said and impressed upon the people to uphold the high principles of harmony and mutual trust. He said the strength of Jammu and Kashmir was in its pluralistic ethos.

“Let us nurture it positively to achieve prosperity.” He granted Rs 2 crore for improvement and upgrade of the Kalakote road and Rs 2 crore for electricity to Gujjars, Bakerwals and people living in the mountainous and remote areas of Kalakote. 

Jammu, April 25
Patwaris (revenue officials) today intensified their 18-day-old indefinite strike and held a province-level demonstration outside the office of Divisional Commissioner here, blaming the state government for an “indifferent attitude towards their genuine demands”.

Hundreds of Patwaris drawn from various districts of the region assembled under the banner of the All Jammu and Kashmir Patwari Association (AJKPA), outside the office of the Divisional Commissioner and raised slogans against the state government for its alleged failure to resolve their long-pending issues.

The Patwaris have been demanding removal of pay anomalies, ban on direct recruitment of Naib Tehsildar, enhancement of Public Service Commission (PSC) examination chances from four to eight, establishment of departmental inquiry cell, transparency in transfer policy, re-organisation of Patwar halqas and construction of Patwar Khanas.

“We didn’t want any kind of confrontation with the state government but it is unfortunate that the government didn’t take any steps to resolve long-standing issues, which forced the association to resume the indefinite strike. The state government had promised to resolve all the issues of revenue officials by March 31, 2012, but nothing has been done so far,” Raman Raj Sharma, provincial president of the association, said.

He said they would further intensify their agitation if the state government didn’t resolve their genuine issues at the earliest.

Meanwhile, normal work was crippled in all revenue departments at the district level as striking Patwaris continued to abstain from their duties.

Jammu, April 25
Army chief General Bikram Singh appreciated the work of the National Photo Award Winner Shib Narayan Acharya, Photographic Officer and Officiating Defence Public Relations Officer at Jammu Garrison yesterday.

Acharya had recently won the National Photo award for his work on the theme of environment ‘Green India-environmental stories’ in the professional category.

The second National Photo Award was given by the Photo Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The contest was open for all photojournalists and photographers from across the country.

Two of his photographs which portrayed the Northern Army Command’s green initiatives at world’s highest battlefield - Siachen Glacier and cultivation at the world’s second coldest inhabited place-Drass-Mushko Valley, won him the award bringing laurels to the Indian Army and the Directorate of Public Relations of the Ministry of Defence.

The Army chief was presented the award winning photographs by the ace photo officer in the presence of Maj Gen Ashwini Kumar, GOC Tiger Division.

Singh lauded the services Acharya towards the projection of positive images of the troops deployed in the Northern Command through his work.

He also assured all out support for his forthcoming photo feature projects on the activities of the troops in Jammu and Kashmir.

Bhaderwah, April 25
The alleged neglect of the road and sluggish construction of bridges at Seri, Amira Nagar, Chakka, Pranoo and Dandi on the 30-km Doda-Bhaderwah Road by the 114 Road Construction Company (RCC) of General Reserve Engineering Force (GREF), Beacon, has made lives of commuters and the nearby dwellers inconvenient, mishap and disease-prone, besides it being harmful for the vehicles.

Member of Legislative Council (MLC) Naresh Kumar Gupta, while expressing his concern, has urged the GREF to expedite the construction of these bridges which were started in early 2012.

At times, the accidents at these places have reportedly proved to be fatal or injurious for the passengers when in a bid to avoid the damaged portions, the vehicles have met with accidents.

Allegedly, instead of repairing or constructing a new bridge at Amira Nagar, the GREF authorities have forbidden people from driving on it through a sign-board there.

Locals have alleged use of sub-standard material in construction when it comes to GREF projects.

Reportedly, the 15 Km Lasser-Chatoosa road linking the 12 villages, dilapidated for long, has been a cause of agony for the commuters. Private bus drivers are allegedly reluctant to drive on it.

“Some of the villagers having vested interests, extended rainy weather and the local administration are to be blamed for this delay. The construction of the 24-metre-long under-construction bridges at Seri and Pranu would take place after completion of their supporting works after a month,” said a GREF officer wishing anonymity.

He said because of the delay in land acquisition for the approach road and the dispute regarding the compensation for a Kuhul (canal) which was damaged during the earth work despite the persons concerned being informed about its inclusion in the road project, the Chakka bridge construction has been delayed.

“The Dandi bridge construction work has got delayed because of a landslide at the site. For Amira Nagar bridge delay (started in February 2008), some of the locals who are reluctant to get their lands acquired, in about 200-metre stretch before the bridge and rather insist on the construction of the bridge first, which is difficult, are to be blamed,” he said.

“The administration has failed in acquiring the land and dealing with the situation. Our staffers are threatened in presence of the custodians of the law,” he added.

Jammu, April 25
A six-day-long UGC-sponsored workshop on “Capacity Building of Women Managers in Higher Education” today commenced at the University of Jammu here.

University of Jammu Vice-Chancellor Professor Mohan Paul Singh Ishar, who inaugurated the workshop, stressed on the need to train women educators and to make them competent enough to hold managerial positions in higher educational institutions.

He said women managers in higher education could complement the efforts of men for qualitative change in the system, thus ensuring gender equality. He asked women educators to come forward and prove their capabilities.

Prof Susheela Kaushik, co-chairperson, National Consultative Committee of UGC Scheme for Capacity Building of Women Managers in Higher Education, deliberated on the goals and objectives of the workshop.

She said the percentage of women at the top decision-making level in Indian universities was small and added that in order to induct a sizable number of women in the system, a programme for capacity-building of women managers in higher education was launched by the University Grants Commission.

Earlier, Prof Poonam Dhawan, in her welcome address, chalked out the underlying objective of organising the workshop for women academicians who are heavily under-represented in the policy and the decision-making in governing and administration of higher educational institutions.

Prof Nilofar Khan, Dean Students Welfare, University of Kashmir and resident coordinator of the programme, also spoke on the occasion.

Prof Pam Rajput, Founding Director, Department of Women Studies, Panjab University and core group resourse person of the programme, said several inequities affect the motivation of women in higher education.

She said it was necessary to train women in higher education for capacity-building for them to become managers in order to participate in policy and decision-making, ensuring gender sensitivity in governance and administration of higher educational institutions.

In the workshop, eight resource persons and 27 delegates from Kashmir, Punjab, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh were participating.

Batote, April 25
Ramban MLA Ashok Kumar sanctioned Rs 12 lakh for a school bus as well as financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh from his CDF for the construction of the boundary wall of the Government Higher Secondary School, here yesterday.

He announced this while inaugurating a badminton court at the GHS School yesterday. He also presented sports kits worth Rs 2 lakh, sanctioned by him from his CDF earlier.

He also saw badminton, kho-kho and kabaddi matches at the Inter-School Zonal Tournament.

Jammu, April 25
Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party (JKNPP) today staged a day-long dharna (sit-in) outside Raj Bhawan here, demanding abolition of the century-old Darbar Move practice (shifting of Civil Secretariat and government offices from one capital city to another for six months).

Led by state president of the party Balwant Singh Mankotia, the party activists raised slogans against the state government and described the Darbar Move exercise as “a wasteful expenditure, a drain on the state exchequer”.

“Darbar Move exercise was started in 1872 by Maharaja Ranbir Singh and it was need of that time because means of communication were less and Information Technology was poor. So the steps taken by the Maharaja to provide governance on the doorstep of the Kashmiri was right, but in present times, it is a wasteful exercise,” said Mankotia while addressing the protesters.

He suggested that the Civil Secretariat and other administrative departments should work on the pattern of J&K High Court and they should work round the year at both places (Srinagar and Jammu) without moving files.

“Over Rs 300 crore wasteful expenditure occurs on the Darbar move exercise, which can be used for development of the state as well as for full salary to the youth who would get employment under new recruitment policy at less than half the salary,” he said.

He said they would continue their struggle till the state government does away with the practice of Darbar Move.

Batote, April 25
The BEd classes would start from the Bhaderwah campus of the Jammu University (BCJU) and the ANMT school would be established in the old complex of Sub District Hospital, Bhaderwah from this session.

This was informed by the MLC and District Doda Congress Committee President Naresh Kumar Gupta during a press conference at the Indian National Congress party headquarters at Bhaderwah today.

He said the new post-graduate classes would be shifted from the Degree College Bhaderwah to the BCJU and the students of erstwhile Doda district may be given 50% reservation for higher studies.

A CT scan and a laproscopic machine would also be installed at the new Sub-District Hospital building funded by the Union Health Ministry.

The Bhaderwah festival would be organised in May to attract most of the tourists during the summer vacations of the educational institutes towards Bhaderwah.

Azad, accompanied by the South superstar and Union Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi, during his three-day stay at Bhaderwah, is expected to do all these inaugurations.

During Azad’s visit, the demand for a road tunnel at Chattergala in Bhaderwah to connect Doda district with Lakhanpur would be presented to Azad.

Azad is also expected to inaugurate nine new primary health centres at Bhaderwah. He advised people protesting against shifting of the old hospital sections to the new building to end their agitation so that the ANMT school could be started from there this year.

Jammu, April 25
Prizes were given away to the winners of The Tribune Cognizance scrap book competition. Lakshmi Rajput, class IX student of Shiksha Niketan Senior Secondary (Jeevan Nagar branch) won an LCD TV as third prize.

Samiksha Gupta, a class VIII student of Shiksha Niketan Senior Secondary School (Gandhi Nagar Branch) had won the second prize of desktop computer.

The consolation prize were bagged by Shantanu Kumar, Gourav Saini, Rohit Raina, Harneet Singh and Aryan Bhagat.

Two students of MV International School, Vijaypur, namely Venkat Sarkar (class 9th student) and Sparsh Samyali (class 6th student) had won a laptop and LCD respectively. The gift items along with consolation prizes were given to the students in the school today.

The consolation prizes were awarded to Pratham, Kanika Chadgal, Shalini Khajuria, Atish Slathia, Shivani, Randeep Kaur, Udevir Singh, Shubharti Choudhary, Vishwajeet, Sakshi, Komaljeet Kaur and Simran Slathia.

Batote, April 25
On behalf of an international NGO, Shrimati Pushpavati Loomba Memorial Foundation, MLC Shamlal Bhagat gave away scholarships cheques of Rs 3,000 each to 27 students of Batote Education Zone. The scholarship winners are students of Government Girls High School and their parents are not alive.

The NGO pays Rs 500 per month each to poor children studying in Class I to X. The money is given to them through cheques twice a year through the honorary members of the NGO, Headmaster, Government Middle School, Upper Chilla, Anil Sharma.

Jammu, April 25
The Crime Branch, Jammu, today presented challans against six persons, including former chief manager and three former employees of the J&K State Financial Corporation, for allegedly preparing fake documents to sanction a loan.

The accused are Rajinder Kumar alias Shinda of Vikas Nagar, Talab Tillo, Jammu, Tarseem Lal of Aala in tehsil Bishnah, Subash Chander Chopra of Channi Himmat, Jammu, Rajinder Prasad of Gandhi Nagar, Sudershan Kumar Bali of Gandhi Nagar 
and Mool Raj Sharma of Nanak Nagar.

Chopra, the then Chief Manager of the State Financial Corporation (SFC), Jammu, Prasad was the then Manager Transport Section, SFC, Jammu, Bali was the then Assistant Manager, Transport Section, SFC, Jammu and Sharma was the then Senior Assistant, SFC, Jammu. They are now retired.

A spokesperson of the Crime Branch said the complainant Mangat Ram of Chumbian had lodged a complaint that he was an ex-serviceman and after his retirement he had bought a carrier bus in partnership with Kaka Ram. “Since the business was not profitable, he sold the bus to a buyer from Uttar Pradesh and the route permit of the vehicle was deposited with the RTO Jammu,” the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said the accused Rajinder Kumar approached him (Mangat Ram) along with Jay Singh for the purchase of the route permit in 1991 and a deal was struck.

“He (Mangat Ram) was made to sign various by the accused. His passport size photograph was also taken by the accused on the pretext of affecting the transfer of the route permit but after a gap of few years, he received a letter from the J&K State Financial Corporation, whereby he was asked to pay Rs 15, 49,495 on account of liquidation of a loan for alleged acquisition registered in his name which he had never purchased or owned,” the spokesperson added.

After this a case was registered. The next date of hearing in the case has been fixed for May 21.

Batote, April 25
Two persons were killed and five were injured in separate accidents on the Jammu-Srinagar highway since yesterday.

Shabir Ahmed, 30 of Rawalpora, Srinagar, died on the spot while three others were injured when the Srinagar-bound car they were travelling in skidded off the Jammu-Srinagar national highway 200 feet into a gorge at Kela Mod in Ramban on Wednesday.

The injured include Irshad Ahmed of Nagbal, Fayaz Ahmed of Kinhama and Riaz Ahmed of Nowgam in Srinagar. They were referred to the SKIMS, Soura, Srinagar, from the District Hospital, Ramban.

In another incident, Jagdev Singh of Kulwanta, Ramnagar (Udhampur), driving a Jammu-bound mini load carrier (JK14-C-3591) died on the spot while two persons accompanying him were seriously injured when the vehicle they were travelling in rolled down 50 feet into a gorge at Patnitop on Wednesday night.

The injured, Moti Ram of Koldi, Ramnagar, and Vishwanker Gupta of Ward number 58, Subhash Colony, Udhampur, were referred to the GMCH, Jammu, from a local hospital.