J-K govt orders verification of degrees of ReT teachers

Jammu and Kashmir government today ordered verification of degree certificates of those Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers who have obtained them through study centers and distance-mode from "shady" institutions.
Complying with the directions of the High Court here, the government ordered the scrutinization of the degrees, asking the Education Department to conduct a screening test of those teachers who are in possession of suspicious testimonials.
"The Education Department today made it clear that in compliance with directions of the High Court, the degrees of ReTs or RReTs (Regularised Rahbar-e-Taleem) obtained through study centers and distance mode from shady institutions would be scrutinized and accordingly the screening test of those ReTs and RReTs would be conducted who are in possession of suspicious testimonials," an official spokesman said.

He said as per the order issued by the Commissioner Secretary School Education Department, the respective Chief Education Officers (CEOs) of all the districts have been designated as Nodal Officers for the verification.
"The whole exercise of verification of such certificates shall be completed within seven days," the order said, adding, the Director School Education Kashmir and Jammu will personally monitor the verification progress.
The order comes after High Court directed the Commissioner Secretary (Education) to constitute a committee to look into the hazards which such degrees must have caused to the society.
"The Committee shall be responsible to find out all such degrees/certificates issued in favour of such candidates, who stand selected as ReT/teachers and ask this class of teachers to sit in a screening test to ascertain as to whether they are in a position to teach the students.

"All such ReT/teachers, who fail in the screening test, their certificates would require to be seized, of course, after affording an opportunity of hearing to them. The authorities shall consider termination of their services after following principles of natural justice as same will be in the larger interests of student community and society," the court ruled.