DOGRA HERALD BUREAU
Jammu, JULY 31
Jammu;31 July: Today a deputation of District Gurudwara Parbhandhak Committee led by S Balvinder Singh Vice President DGPC along with S Surjit Singh Gen Secretary, S Harjit Singh, S Tejinder Singh member DGPC , and S Ravinder Singh Ex-Director School Education (JKAS), accompanied as special invitee of DGPC, met Sh Alok Kumar Principle Secretary Higher/School Education department Govt of JKUT in civil secretariat Jammu and discussed in detail issues pertaining to the teaching of Punjabi subject in school/higher Education department. Before having formal discussion on the main agenda DGPC members expressed their gratitude to Sh Alok Kumar for permitting various programs last year to commemorate the martyrdom week of Four Sahibzadas from 21st Dec to 26th in various Colleges in Jammu. As a token of appreciation, they presented a memento along with pendrive containing the “CHAAR SAHIBZADA MOVIE”.
A memorandum highlighting various demands including filling up of posts of Punjabi subject lying vacant in school and higher education department has been submitted. The principle secretary has also been apprised that a great resentment is brewing within the Sikh Community for not providing Punjabi faculty in the Govt school and colleges even in the areas where the students aspiring to opt for Punjabi subject are available despite having been given assurances at different levels on different occasions, for growth and development of Punjabi in JKUT. S Ravinder Singh retd JKAS officer and Ex Director School Education further apprised the Principal Secretary that whenever the aspiring students for Punjabi Subjects approach the School (10+2)/College authorities to take admission seeking Punjabi as one of the elective subjects, such students are denied admission on the pretext of non-availability of faculty in Punjabi Subject when a number of post graduates and Scholars of Punjabi Subject are moving from pillar to post seeking employment in teaching line, since long.
The Principal Secretary gave a patient hearing and appreciated the role of DGPC team for presenting in a meticulous manner genuine demands of teaching of Punjabi in School (10+2) and at College levels. He assured that immediate necessary steps will be taken to provide Punjabi faculty in Degree Colleges on academic arrangement wherever required and issued on spot instruction in this regard to the officers of Higher education department present in the meeting. Moreover he further assured that whenever in future hiring of Cluster Resource Coordinators for teaching purpose in high and higher secondary schools is initiated care will be taken to include Punjabi subject also under this scheme. He further assured that steps will be taken to explore engagement of Punjabi faculty in 10+2 Schools wherever required utilizing the available vacant posts of Punjabi subject for which he instructed officer of School education department present in the meeting.
The Principal Secretary has sought detailed information from DGPC Jammu of the areas where Punjabi aspiring students are available and for non-availability of faculty such students are deprived of taking Punjabi as an elective subject. He also asked DGPC Jammu to coordinate with the officers of School and Higher education department present in the meeting to provide the requisite information at the earliest and the DGPC Jammu team assured the Principal Secretary that the requisite information will be provided shortly. DGPC Thanked the Principal Secretary for giving a valuable time for holding a meeting.
