Majority posts to be filled within 3 months: Registrar
Suhail Bhat
SRINAGAR, Dec 3: Several key administrative positions remain vacant at Kashmir University, slowing its academic and institutional growth as crucial roles continue to be handled through additional charges and temporary in-charge appointments, prompting concern among faculty and stakeholders who say the prolonged vacancies are disrupting academic, research, and administrative functioning across campuses.
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According to official sources, the posts of Director of Physical Education, Director of IT&SS, Director of DIQA, Director of South Campus, Director of Kupwara Campus, Director of Convocation Complex, Director of EMMRC, Controller of Examinations, and Director of Zakura Campus are currently unfilled. In addition, three Joint Registrar positions, including those at the north and south Kashmir campuses, are also lying unfilled. These positions are either being handled as additional charges by senior faculty members or by in-charge directors. “This arrangement affects teaching and research because Senior Professors are overloaded,” an official said.
The post of Additional Controller of Examinations is also vacant. In the University Health Centre, officials confirmed that two pharmacist posts have not been filled due to superannuation, and the only male doctor retired in 2013, even though “more than 60 percent of the staff and students are male.”
More than 12 Assistant Registrar posts are vacant. Sources said recruitment had been initiated, “but the process has been stopped for unknown reasons.” One Deputy Registrar post at the main campus and one Deputy Registrar post each at the North and South campuses are also unfilled, which Professors say is slowing administrative work.
Two Public Relations Officer (PRO) posts are lying vacant-one for the main campus and one for the Convocation Complex. The main-campus PRO post has remained unfilled since 2008, when the former PRO was terminated on corruption charges under former Vice-Chancellor Prof. Wahid. A media student who recently completed his PG from the university said, “Hundreds of mass communication graduates are waiting for these posts to be advertised, but currently the media advisor of PRC is from a linguistics background.”
Officials confirmed that two Deputy Director posts at the Directorate of Physical Education and Sports are vacant. The post of Deputy Director of DIQA and two Assistant Director posts at DIQA are also unfilled.
In the Construction Division, three Junior Engineer posts, two Work Supervisor posts, two Electrician posts, one Head Draftsman post, and five Plumber posts are lying vacant. A Senior Professor said the shortage has compromised oversight during repairs and construction. “Contractors are using inferior material because monitoring of civil works and electric works has weakened,” the professor said.
University officials said that the institution has expanded significantly over the past two decades by establishing satellite campuses and new departments, “but the staff strength remains the same as it was 20 years ago.” They warned that more than 200 employees will superannuate in the next two years, risking further operational breakdown.
At the Allama Iqbal Library, two Deputy Librarian and eight Assistant Librarian posts remain unfilled. Staff members said shortages are “affecting the functioning of the central library.”
Sources added that 90 Junior Assistant posts are vacant, forcing Heads of Departments to carry out clerical work themselves. “From the last two to three years, more than 100 experienced employees have superannuated,” a senior professor said.
Academic departments are also facing shortages. According to officials, five Laboratory Assistant posts in Science Departments, one Supervisor post in the landscape section, one curator post in the Department of Zoology, one Lecture Assistant post, 10 technical Assistant posts, and two Scientist posts are also vacant.
Several senior staff members alleged that the administration is not prioritising recruitment. “University authorities are not taking the recruitment of non-teaching posts for unknown reasons,” a senior official said, warning that delays are now affecting teaching, research, examinations, library services, public relations, and infrastructure maintenance across campuses.
The Registrar of Kashmir University, Naseer Iqbal, said posts including Director of Physical Education, Director of IT&SS, Director of DIQA, Director of South Campus, Director of Kupwara Campus, and Director of Convocation Complex have already been advertised and are expected to be filled within the next two to three months. He added that the university is not processing Junior Assistant positions at present as the matter is sub judice and the legal team is contesting it in court, leading to prolonged vacancies across departments. “Because of the delay, several of our posts have been lying vacant, and therefore we have identified 20 new Junior Assistant positions, which will be advertised soon,” he said. He added, “All the positions will be filled within a gap of 3 months.”
He further said that the University will also advertise the post of PRO shortly.
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