SRINAGAR, Sep 13: A delegation of the Jammu and Kashmir Teachers Forum (JKTF) today met Member of Parliament from the Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary Constituency, Mian Altaf Ahmad, at Kangan, Ganderbal, and apprised him of the long-pending issues confronting teachers and employees across Jammu and Kashmir, with particular emphasis on the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) issue affecting in-service teachers.
The delegation met under the guidance of JKTF UT President Mohammed Ashraf Sheikh, who had constituted a special team to take up the matter with public representatives and seek their intervention at the appropriate level. The delegation comprised JKTF UT Senior Vice Chairman Mohd Mahroof Choudhary, UT Spokesperson Joginder Singh Thakur, Provincial General Secretary Sadiq Poswal, Provincial Vice President Jasvir Singh Thakur, along with Pervaiz Qureshi, Manzoor Adar, Saleem Pathan, Barkat Charak, Munish and others.
During the meeting, the JKTF representatives highlighted the concerns of thousands of serving teachers regarding the TET requirement and urged Mian Altaf Ahmad to take up the matter with the Union Government and seek a fair and permanent solution in the interest of existing in-service teachers. The delegation maintained that the issue has a direct bearing on the job security and dignity of teachers who have already rendered years of service in the education sector.
The representatives also apprised the MP of several other chronic and long-pending issues concerning teachers and employees, including job security, service-related difficulties, career progression, recruitment and promotion matters, and other concerns requiring urgent intervention by the Government. They stressed that employees who have devoted years to public service should not be subjected to uncertainty regarding their livelihood and professional future.
Mian Altaf Ahmad gave a patient hearing to the delegation and assured the JKTF representatives that he would take up the TET issue with the Union Government. He stated that efforts would be made to raise the matter during the forthcoming Parliament session in November and pursue it at the appropriate level for a suitable resolution. He also assured the delegation that the other genuine issues raised during the meeting would be examined and taken up with the concerned authorities wherever required.
The JKTF leadership expressed gratitude to Mian Altaf Ahmad for giving them a patient hearing and assuring his intervention in the matter. The delegation said that continued engagement with elected representatives and the Government was necessary to ensure that the legitimate concerns of teachers and employees receive due consideration.
Speaking on the occasion, JKTF UT Spokesperson Joginder Singh Thakur said that the Jammu and Kashmir Teachers Forum, under the leadership of UT President Mohammed Ashraf Sheikh, would continue its democratic and peaceful efforts for safeguarding the interests of teachers and resolving their long-pending issues. He said the Forum would continue to engage with Members of Parliament, legislators and concerned authorities so that the genuine concerns of teachers and employees are effectively projected before the appropriate platforms.
Thakur reiterated that “First protect job security, then OPS” remains an important principle of the Forum’s broader struggle for the welfare, dignity and service security of employees.