Srinagar, Oct 3: The Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) has urged the Jammu and Kashmir government to immediately fill 18,601 vacant teaching and academic posts, saying the issue concerns not only employment but the quality of education and the future of thousands of students.
AIP Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi, as per a party statement, said teachers are the foundation of the education system and prolonged vacancies cannot be treated as routine administrative gaps.
“Teachers are nation-builders. They shape the knowledge, character, confidence and aspirations of the next generation. A school building, textbooks or technology cannot substitute for a teacher in the classroom. When teaching posts remain vacant, our children ultimately pay the price.”
According to figures placed by the government before the Legislative Assembly, the 18,601 vacancies comprise 10,268 Teacher, 5,278 Master, 2,154 Lecturer, 633 Headmaster and 268 Principal posts.
The government figures show 2,115 vacant Teacher posts and 2,463 vacant Master posts in Kashmir division. Among the districts cited in the Assembly data, Anantnag has 1,016 vacant Teacher posts, followed by Budgam with 797, Pulwama with 764 and Kupwara with 621.
Inam said the figures should prompt an immediate assessment of schools and subjects facing the greatest shortages, followed by recruitment and deployment based on actual requirements.
“A child’s academic year cannot be put on hold while an administrative file moves from one desk to another. Every year of inadequate teaching can have consequences that cannot simply be recovered later. The government must treat these vacancies as an educational priority,” he said.
Inam Un Nabi also highlighted the 5,367 General Line Teacher posts identified by the Directorate of School Education Kashmir for de-freezing, and called for the process to be completed without unnecessary delay.
Inam demanded clear deadlines for de-freezing, referral, advertisement, selection, appointment and posting, with recruitment ultimately measured by teachers reaching classrooms rather than merely by the issuance of recruitment notifications.
He also called for school-wise and subject-wise vacancy data to ensure that new appointments are directed to institutions where shortages are greatest.
“This is bigger than a jobs issue. We are talking about classrooms, children, learning and the human capital of tomorrow. A teacher in a classroom today is an investment in the future of J&K and the nation. These vacancies must be filled without further delay.” Inam said.
