Srinagar: The School Education Department (SED) on Tuesday ordered attachment of in-charge Joint Director Elementary Education (EE) for “misrepresentation of facts” over the validity of postgraduate degrees obtained through distance mode.
“In view of the misrepresentation of the facts and departments stand regarding PG Degrees acquired through Distance Mode vide communication No. DSEK/EstIII/B-Trs/NZ/TS/1172/2022/5762, dated December 31 of 2022 of DSEK, Shamas-ud-Din, in-charge Joint Director, Elementary Education (EE) DSEK is hereby attached with the Administrative Department with immediate effect,” reads an order issued by Principal Secretary SED Alok Kumar.
The department has appointed Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) as inquiry officer over the issue.
“He (DSEK) shall submit the enquiry report within 15 days from the date of issuance of this order along with his recommendations,” the order reads.
As already reported, the Joint Director Education on December 28, 2022, issued a communication to CEO Baramulla that the degrees obtained through distance mode in Science subjects will not be considered for promotion or seniority.
The letter was issued to the CEO in response to an application of an RReT teacher seeking permission for pursuing PG in Environmental Science through IGNOU.
The move started a debate over the validity of the degrees obtained through distance mode.
Amid the row, Regional Director IGNOU Srinagar had issued a statement that all the Degrees, Diplomas, and Certificates issued by the university were duly recognised by University Grants Commission (UGC).
The Regional Director, Dr. Shahnawaz Ahmad Dar in a statement had said that all the programmes offered by IGNOU including the MSCENV were duly recognized by UGC and in terms of the decision taken by UGC in its 550th meeting.
Following this, DSEK Tasaduq Hussain Mir stated that the government equally recognizes degrees obtained through distance or regular mode subject to conditions issued by the department from time to time. He said that the letter issued by the Joint Director was withdrawn to clear the confusion among teachers.
“We withdraw the letter and want to clarify that our intention was to inform the teachers that any degree to be acquired should be obtained after getting proper approval from the department,” DSEK had said.
