Srinagar, April 16 April: Highlighting the plight of private school educators in Jammu and Kashmir, Mir Arifa Jan, State President of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Sharadchandra Pawar and Chairperson (Women’s Wing), BRICS Human Rights Mission (J&K), has addressed a strongly worded letter to Union Minister of Education, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan.
The letter draws attention to the grave challenges faced by private teachers in the region, including dismally low salaries, job insecurity, and the absence of basic employment benefits. “Despite holding advanced qualifications such as B.Sc., M.Sc., M.A., M.Com., M.Phil., and even Ph.D., many teachers reportedly earn just ₹6,000 to ₹8,000 per month—less than the wages of unskilled laborers,” she said.
Quoting investigative reports from some news outlets, she described the ongoing exploitation as “systemic and unchecked,” citing a regulatory vacuum where neither the Education Department nor the Labour Department takes accountability for ensuring fair employment conditions.
To remedy this, Mir Arifa Jan proposed a five-point reform plan: 1, Fixation of minimum salary standards based on qualifications and experience. 2, Creation of a dedicated grievance redressal mechanism for private school teachers. 3, Provision of job security and social benefits such as insurance, provident fund, and retirement plans. 4, Mandatory employment contracts for all teaching staff in private institutions. 5, Implementation of a single-window salary disbursement system under the Education Department to ensure transparency and prevent illegal deductions.
“The educators who are shaping our future generations deserve dignity, fair wages, and basic rights. Their continued exploitation is both ironic and unacceptable,” Jan stated.
The letter was also forwarded to key figures including Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and Ms. Sakeena Masood (Itoo), Minister for Health & Medical Education, School Education, Higher Education and Social Welfare.
