Opinion | Cluster Resources Coordinators for Teaching Support (CRCTS) – Hope in Hopelessness

The School Education Department has recently made it public that deficiency of Teaching staff at Secondary and Higher Secondary schools can be mitigated by hiring qualified unemployed Youth on temporary basis under the order No:- DSEK/154 erstwhile Academic Arrangement. This announcement has received positive reinforcement from the various sectors/stakeholders in Kashmir Division. Keeping in view of the government’s decision the rate of educated unemployment in Kashmir Division has been tremendously increasing with each passing year. Without getting a feasible job their future has been turned into bleak. Most of them have crossed the age which has further added to them the sign of displeasure and dissatisfaction. There are thousands of such cases and most of them are suffering from acute depression, anxiety. They worked hard during the completion of their course and later didn’t get what they wanted.

Let me share the tale of one of my friends who has been always dreaming to have a successful life after completing the desired course. But there have been written something different in store of his fate. He has been called in JKPSC interview for many times but just dropped by  the mere margin of marks and same thing happened in JKSSRB interview. Now this announcement has kept his hopes alive, but apprehension is that he might have crossed the limited age.The longer a person is unemployed the more likely they are to experience potential negative aspects and contribute to the multiplier effect that unemployment has on the community.The cluster resource coordinators might be substitute to eliminate the dearth of teaching faculty at higher secondary level. Every year subject specific teachers are being rationalised for teaching different subjects at higher secondary level, leaving most of the secondary schools understaffed. But with the advent of this initiative a sign of relief has been witnessed from every corner. The precious time of students can’t be spoiled now. The process for the engagement should be on merit and fair manner.
As per the order, the academic arrangement would be purely based on need based and temporary and should in no case confer any right for regular engagement or even continuation in any subsequent session. All engagement should be made through an open advertisement and prescribed selection process as per the evaluation criteria notified already. The engagement shall be for a maximum of one academic session only, the academic arrangement shall automatically terminate at the end of the academic session or an appointment or posting of regular faculty whether through transfer or fresh recruitment.
Notwithstanding the cluster resource coordinators for teaching support will surely benefit thousands of students studying at higher secondary level across the state. The quality of education is only possible when you have the resources available to you. During my school Or college days the system of academic arrangement was in process to cope up with the academic area and result was always satisfactory. But the past few years the academic arrangement for Higher secondaries have been cancelled due to unknown reasons. Now pertinent to mention that engagement for CRCTS has been once again in the print and electronic media that received an overwhelming response from the general public across the state. The honorarium they get is not sufficient to meet their demand but the way initiative has been taken is commendable.
Notably in Kashmir we witnessed many incidents of our young, energetic, qualified youth either fallen in the trap of addiction, or depression, and many other societal problems.There are the feelings of hopelessness and despair among the young youth. The unemployment rate in kashmir division soares above 23℅ which clearly shows that by this way or that situation is not content. Such initiatives will definitely lessen the burden of unemployment rate.
Unemployment has a detrimental impact on the overall growth of an economy. The educated unemployed may turn to anti-social activities like cheating, thefts, murders and many more. Increase in unemployment is an indicator of a depressed economy. Research shows that people who have experienced longer periods of unemployment have poorer health by age of 50 than the people who have been steadily employed.

Looking at the scenario of JK schools pupil teacher ratio (PTR) the situation is gruesome. It is quite vivid that those at the helm of affairs always stressed upon the arrangement of subject specific teachers for their outgoing classes, whereas the rest gets a little bit less attention, with the result the rationalization of subject specific teachers comes in the way without keeping in view of their parent school. But this initiative will surely maintain the balance and surplus subject specific teachers will resume their classes at their original place of posting.May this process continue in the coming years. Finger’s Crossed!

– The writer is a teacher by profession and teaches at BHS Diver Lolab. He can be reached at farhaanqysar@gmail.com