Pupil-teacher ratio in state lower than national average

Vikas Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 21

The pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) of colleges in J&K at 22.9 students per teacher is lower than the all-India average of 13.1.

This has been revealed in the Annual Status of Higher Education (ASHE)-2014 report of the Ministry of Human Resource Development (HRD).

According to the report, total number of teaching staff and non-teaching staff in all colleges in J&K is estimated to be 0.14 lakh and 0.12 lakh, respectively. It observed that given the number of colleges in the state, the number of teachers per college (44.5) and non-teaching staff per college (40.6) farely appropriate when compared to the corresponding all–India levels.

“In terms of the post-wise share of teaching staff, the figure alongside provides the break-up in the state. As many as 65 per cent of the teaching posts are at the level of lecturer/assistant professor. There are about 9 per cent of readers/associate professors and professors. Around 7 per cent of the staff is temporary and 2 per cent demonstrator/ tutor,” the report claimed.

In an important revelation in terms of representation of various social groups and gender in the teaching and non-teaching staff, the report claimed that women were significantly under-represented among the faculty and staff in higher education institutes as compared to men.

It added that in case of social groups also, there was a deficit in terms of representation in both faculty and staff in higher educational institutions as compared to their share of population in the state.

The report, however, maintained that when compared to all-India levels of representation, J&K had fared much better in terms of Muslim representation, but lags behind in women, SC, ST, OBC and other minority representation among faculty and non-teaching staff.

The report further said J&K in its proposal had intended to create new cluster universities in order to reduce the burden of an excessive number of colleges affiliated with the University of Kashmir and the University of Jammu (affiliation reforms).

The PAB approved Rs 36.6 crore at Rs 18.30 crore each, for creation of two universities by converting colleges in a cluster. The state has further been advised to take active steps to improve its student-teacher ratio (STR) and the quality of institutions in terms of centre for excellence (CPE) status, which are important aspects of the RUSA guidelines under this component.