What Are Ladakh’s
Court, Jammu and Kashmir is going to be restored into a full-fledged state sooner or later. However, in the case of Ladakh, none of these provisions have been extended and it has been kept as a Union Territory without a Legislature. This has led to a sense of disappointment among the people of Ladakh,” the memorandum says.
The civil society groups in Ladakh have further informed the government of India that granting statehood status to Ladakh will enhance the political representation and empower the locals.
“This shall also help the locals manifest their aspirations within the democratic framework and also foster a sense of belonging and participation in the nation-building process,” it reads.
They further have asserted that while being in UT there are limitations in the administration and governance and the current Autonomous Hill Development Councils (one in Leh and one in Kargil) do not have law-making powers.
“Granting legislative powers in the form of a legislature to the locals will enable effective governance and development and foster the federal structure of India which has been held sacrosanct by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the recent ruling over Article 370,” the group further added.
They said that the place also holds a significant position for its strategic location vis-a-vis China and Pakistan. “Empowering the locals will foster stability in the region, further enhancing the foreign policy,” it said adding “The people of Ladakh have always shown a sense of unity and cooperation among themselves as well as respect for the nation, which has always played a significant role in the security and stability of the region of Ladakh,”
The civil society group, while keeping the religious difference aside, reminded the GOI that the understanding of the locals of the harsh terrain and the geography of Ladakh has always proved helpful in the military and logistic operations and empowering the locals further could prove more vital for internal security and peace in the region.
On granting the sixth schedule status for the region, the group said that the region is a land predominated by the tribal community. These tribes form the majority of the population and follow varied unique traditions.
“Bringing Ladakh under the Sixth Schedule will not only guarantee special protections for land rights of the Scheduled Tribes of Ladakh but also land being central to our community identity, history and culture, it will help us make our laws as per the unique requirements of the region,” it said.
The leaders, however, were quick to add that while providing Sixth Schedule protection to the Ladakhi tribal population would be significant, it alone would not suffice. They emphasized the limited authority of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) in tribal matters, underscoring the necessity for a local legislature.
“A local legislature, such as the one formed by the UT of J&K would not only legislate on matters directly related to tribal affairs but would also be accountable as it would be using a bottom-up approach and be context-sensitive in matters related to Ladakh,” they said.
On the public service commission for the region, the memorandum asserted that the Reorganization Act of J&K under Section 93 provides for a public service commission for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. However, as this provision has not been extended to Ladakh, opportunities for students from Ladakh to access gazetted posts have become limited.
“...for the last five years, there have not been any gazette-level recruitments. On the other hand, in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, two more batches have come up and one exam is in process,” they said, adding, “There is therefore a need for the formation of the Ladakh Public Service Commission for the gazetted jobs and for the non-gazetted jobs, the respective Hill Councils shall have the powers to recruit.”
Another protestor said that the order entails a drastic reduction in their salaries, slashing the monthly earnings from Rs 28,000 to a meagre Rs 13,000 or Rs 14,000.
“In 2018, salaries of the contractual employees were enhanced from 18,000 to 28,000 but they were deducted for winter months. It takes years for the administration to complete the recruitment process and in the midst of all this many of the aspirants get overaged. The eligibility for the candidates remains the same but the pay grade remains different”
“We have spent almost a decade in Universities researching so that we can contribute positively to society. When we are hired, all the criteria is followed in line with the UGC guidelines, everything including our degrees are thoroughly checked, but when it comes to remuneration, we are being paid peanuts,” he added.
“We don’t get salaries for winter months as well and ten days for summer vacation are also deducted. Our colleagues draw an amount of rs 57000 in Universities outside Kashmir. Why this injustice with us,” a lecturer asked.
Lamenting the lack of recognition for their experience, a female lecturer said, “A lecturer travels from North Kashmir to South Kashmir to teach at a college. Instead of taking care of his basic needs, salaries are being reduced. We are ashamed to ask for money before our elders.”
“If the order is not revoked, we will not join the services. The government should implement the Supreme Court’s guidelines of equal pay for equal work” she added.
“I have to pay a room rent of Rs 10,000 every month. I have family and kids with me. The discrepancy in pay scales between different regions further compounds the frustration,” he said.
The lecturers warned of hunger strikes, if their grievances are not addressed promptly and called upon the authorities to reconsider the order and pay them on a monthly basis.
Many lecturers have resorted to social media to voice their concerns and express discontent with the recent circular.
JK College Contractual Faculty, a handle on the social media app X created by the contractual faculty to raise their issues tweeted, “Highly Qualified youth of J&K being compelled to be beggars by @ Hr_Educationjk by changing their nomenclature to Guest Faculty. @ OfficeOfLGJandK kindly intervene & let us live with dignity too”
“A biased move from Director Colleges. Guest faculty in Kashmir div colleges and Academic arrangement in Jammu div colleges. There should be uniform nomenclature and salary for all teaching faculty in J&K from 15 Feb onwards.” tweeted Gulzar Naik, a Ph.d candidate.
“A suitable scheme is the need of the hour so that the candidates who give their 10 to15 years to live with dignity without any humiliation on a daily basis as Contractual in Academic Arrangement system. Requesting the authority to please adjust the contractual staff into the system” Naseer Bhat tweeted.
The Director Colleges in the circular states that Engagement of Academic Arrangement is an annual process and it needs to be recalibrated to bring it is sync with the academic calendar that has been implemented from 2022.
“Accordingly the academic arrangement faculty will be engaged well before the academic session 2024 which will start from 1 August 2024 and for the same advertisement notification will be issued shortly. Meanwhile all affiliated and constituent colleges of Kashmir University and Cluster University, Srinagar will reopen on 15th of February and different semester examinations will commence thereafter with class work for semester 5th/6th batch 2021.” The circular stated.
As such colleges having requirement of temporary faculty for teaching the semester students will engage the services of academic arrangement faculty who were disengaged from 26 December, 2023 “as guest faculty strictly as per the guidelines in vogue.”
The Guest faculty shall be engaged by respective Head of the Institutions strictly as per requirement for teaching of semester 6th students and subsequent semester 2nd batch of 2023 and semester 4th batch of 2022 thereafter with prior approval of undersigned. The arrangement will remain only till the academic arrangement faculty for session 2024 is deployed in the Colleges.”
“The Guest faculty engaged shall have no claim for engagement on academic arrangement basis for session 2024 which shall be done strictly as per the engagement notification to be issued shortly,” the circular reads.
Director Colleges Dr Yasmeen Ashai could not be contacted for comments despite repeated attempts.