Srinagar March 18 (KNS): Minister for Agriculture Production department, Javed Ahmad Dar, informed this while replying on behalf of Minister for Education to a clubbed question raised by Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami and Balwant Singh Mankotia in the Legislative Assembly.
During the reply, the Minister stated that the School Education department had been engaging Contractual Lecturers on academic arrangement basis for the academic sessions, but since 2019 the department has engaged no contractual lecturers. He added that to cope up the staff shortage in High and Higher Secondary Schools, 1496 Cluster Resource Coordinators (CRCs) have been hired on temporary basis during the academic session 2024-25 to teach specific subjects in these schools on a monthly honorarium of Rs. 25000 up to 31.03.2025 only.
The Minister further informed that Vocational/Skill education has been introduced in schools of J&K under centrally sponsored scheme Samagra Shiksha. He added that Vocational Education has successfully been implemented in 1350 High and Higher Secondary Schools of J&K under Samagra Shiksha and PM SHRI Scheme.
The Minister further said that 2187 Vocational Trainers and 48 Vocational Coordinators have been engaged through the Vocational Training Partners. He added that Vocational Trainers are being paid a monthly honorarium of Rs. 20,000, but their monthly honorarium has been proposed at Rs. 30,000 for approval for the year 2025-2026, under PAB 2025-26 from the Union Ministry of School Education and Literacy.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Regarding filling up of vacancies in Chenani constituency, the Minister informed the house that the department is making all efforts to overcome the deficiency of teaching and non-teaching staff in schools by way of proper rationalization, deployment of Cluster Resource Coordinators and affecting promotions to streamline and maintain the pupil-teacher ratio in schools including those of Chenani Constituency.
He also informed that the selections are being made against 594 posts of Lecturers, recently referred to JKPSC, which will ease out the deficiency of Lecturers at the 10+2 level. He also informed that 1427 schools from Primary to Higher Secondary level are functional in Udhampur district, of which, 399 schools are existing in Chenani constituency.
Regarding Cooks-cum-Helpers working under PM POSHAN (Mid Day Meals Scheme), the Minister stated that they are being paid monthly honorarium of Rs.1000 as per the guidelines and norms of Union Ministry for Education, with the sharing pattern of 90:10 for preparation of meals and not for the whole day. He added that the demand for enhancement of the honorarium of Cooks-Cum-Helpers has been taken up with the Ministry of School Education and Literacy, GoI.
The Minister also informed the house that several Centrally Sponsored Schemes are being implemented by the School Education department in J&K like SAMAGRA SHIKSHA, PM SHRI, NILP (UJLAAS) and PM POSHAN.(KNS)