JK College Principals use students money for routine publicity stunts

CTA aghast, urges Secretary Higher Education to take cognizance

Srinagar, Mar 21: President, College Teachers Association (CTA) Prof Tariq Ashai on Saturday expressed concern over publicizing the routine events held across Jammu and Kashmir Colleges—saying that it was their primary duty to hold such functions.

In a statement issued to KNS reads , the CTA said that in this regard a meeting of J&K College Teachers Association was convened under the chairmanship of Prof Tariq Ashai. “Department of Higher Education has gained momentum from this academic session by conducting various academic activities in the form of seminars, workshops, conferences and also other curricular and extra-curricular activities,” he said in a statement issued here. “Such academic activities have got a boost from the current academic session primarily because of the keen interest and efforts of Secretary Higher Education, Talat Parvaiz, Principals and faculty of colleges.”

Expressing satisfaction on the rejuvenation of such activities in the colleges which is beneficial for the student community, Prof Ashai observed that giving unnecessary publicity to such events by giving paid press notes along with photos that too at the cost of local fund -amount generated from the fee of the students serves no purpose.

He said that despite the clear cut instructions from the government that all press releases and other information should be routed to the media through Department of Information and Public Relations Department—some Principals were deviating from the procedure set for the purpose by spending the money meant for providing basic amenitiesin the colleges on paid press releases.

The members expressed serious concern over the unnecessary publicity of routine college events. They requested the administrative Secretary, Higher Education to take cognizance of the issue to safe guard the hard earned money of the students, the statement issued to KNS said

KNS