Sorry State of Education: 5 CEO positions vacant, several key positions headless in Kashmir

Srinagar, Dec 7: The School Education Department (SED) is grappling with problem of filling key vacant posts in Kashmir that includes five out of 10 positions of Chief Education Officer (CEO) continue to remain vacant which is affecting the academic and administrative functioning in the districts.
Official figures suggest that there are around five out of 10 positions of CEOs, five out of 10 positions of Principal District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) are lying vacant in Kashmir division.
“Some vacant positions are manned by other equivalent rank officers while in some districts the department is completely headless,” an official said.
As per the official figures the post of CEO Baramulla, Bandipora, Anantnag, Pulwama and Srinagar are lying vacant in Kashmir.
Also the post of DIET Principal in Sopore (Baramulla), Bandipora, Ganderbal, Kupwara and Kulgam district is lying vacant as well.
“The CEO Baramulla who retired in November ending was holding four positions at a time. Besides CEO Baramulla he was given additional charge of CEO Bandipora, DIET Principal Baramulla and Bandipora as well,” an official said, adding that CEO Ganderbal is manning the post of CEO Srinagar as his additional assignment.
The official figures also reveal that around 12 positions of Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs) are also lying vacant in Kashmir.
The vacant positions at district and zonal level has badly hit the routine functioning of the department while the department has not taken any step to fill the vacancies.
“The government recently shifted the academic session from November to March and several decisions are to be taken at district and zonal level for smooth implementation of the government order. But 50 percent districts are without heads,” the official said.
Notably, the government has kept the post of Chairman JK Board of School Education (BOSE) and Director SCERT vacant as well.
A top official in the administrative department said they were collecting vigilance clearance of the candidates for their appointment as CEOs.
“The CEO positions will be filled after getting vigilance clearance of these candidates,” he said, adding that the government is also working on appointment of Chairman JKBOSE and Director SCERT as well.