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| J&K’s Private Teachers: Builders of Mind, Victims of Exploitation | | | Omkar Dattatray
It is deeply ironic, profoundly unfortunate, and most disturbing that in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, private school educators continue to face severe exploitation. This grim reality persists even after 78 years of India’s independence — a period during which our democratic leaders have repeatedly claimed that all forms of exploitation have been eradicated. Yet, the ground situation paints a starkly different and distressing picture. Highly qualified, experienced, and professionally trained teachers are being paid shockingly meagre wages. In most private educational institutions, educators receive salaries far below their worth — often ranging between ₹6,000 and ₹8,000 a month - a figure disgracefully lower than the daily earnings of unskilled labourers who make around ₹800 per day. This blatant injustice exposes the hypocrisy of a system that venerates teachers as “next to God” in rhetoric but subjects them to indignity and economic hardship in reality. Despite their critical role in shaping the nation’s future, these teachers continue to endure exploitation in silence - a tragic testament to the apathy of both the administration and society at large.
On one hand, we proudly proclaim that teachers are the architects and builders of the nation, and we hold ceremonies to honour their invaluable contribution. Yet, on the other hand, these very educators are treated with utter disregard and paid woefully inadequate salaries — a grave injustice in an era of skyrocketing prices and relentless inflation. With such meagre monthly earnings, these unfortunate yet indispensable members of our so-called “progressive and modern society” struggle to make ends meet. Adding insult to injury, the managements of many private “teaching shops” — institutions that can scarcely be called true centres of learning — continue to charge exorbitant tuition fees, bus fares, admission and printing fees, uniform costs, and numerous other levies. Meanwhile, the teachers who sustain these institutions are paid less than what unskilled labourers earn today. It is shocking, distressing, and downright demoralising that qualified educators are denied salaries commensurate with their skill, dedication, and the noble nature of their work. What is even more disheartening is that this blatant exploitation persists right under the nose of the UT’s Education Department, with little or no punitive action taken against the managements responsible. It appears as though these exploitative private school owners have been handed a free licence to harass, underpay, and humiliate their teachers — and, tragically, many of these management heads and principals seem to take pride in the very exploitation that demeans the teaching profession.
Despite possessing qualifications comparable to—or in some cases even lower than - their government school counterparts, teachers in private schools are often compensated with meager salaries. This glaring disparity is not just unfair; it is a stark manifestation of systemic injustice. Private school educators are routinely expected to shoulder multiple responsibilities beyond teaching, including administrative duties, computer work, and extracurricular management. Yet, their dedication and hard work are rewarded with remuneration that scarcely reflects their contribution. To uphold fairness and dignity in the teaching profession, it is imperative that private school teachers receive salaries commensurate with their skills, efforts, and invaluable role in shaping the nation’s future.
Notably to mention here that hard working educators are made to work for six to eight hours per day but in return are paid Rs 6000 to 8000 per month which is a gross violation of their rights and is exploitation through and through. The government does not bother about the exploitation of the teachers by the private schools. The government should awake from the deep slumber and shun the attitude of ‘Chalne do’ and take strict action against the management and owners of these private schools. These schools are not above the law of the land and it is the duty and sole responsibility of the government to make the private schools to pay adequate if not more wages but decent salary to its teaching as well as non- teaching staff. It would be no exaggeration to state that private school managements often compel their teaching staff to work relentlessly, treating them more like laborers than educators. Such blatant exploitation of teachers stands as a disgrace — not only for these institutions but also for the government and society as a whole. The government should step in and intervene and force the private school managements to pay adequate wages to their teachers and take steps to derecognise such schools which will not obey government directions regarding the payment of adequate and commensurate wages with the hard work of the teachers. It is sheer injustice and blatant exploitation that these unfortunate teachers are paid meagre salaries, crushing their morale and dignity. The height of cruelty lies in the fact that they are threatened with dismissal whenever they dare to demand fair or increased wages.
This high-handedness and exploitation of teachers by private school managements must not be allowed to continue. It is imperative that the government takes concrete and positive action to end this grave injustice and ensure that educators are treated with the dignity they deserve. Those institutions indulging in such unethical practices must be held accountable and made to face stringent penalties for their exploitation. The pressing question, however, remains — is anyone listening? Unless decisive steps are taken at the governmental level, it will appear that private school managements have been given a free license to exploit their teachers. The authorities must rise to the occasion, bring the culprits to justice, and safeguard the rights and well-being of these highly qualified and dedicated educators. The government’s intervention is not just desirable but essential to uphold the principles of fairness and democracy. Exploitation of teachers has no place in a free and democratic nation — otherwise, the distinction between our present governance and the oppressive rule of colonial times becomes blurred. Therefore, this issue must be addressed on a priority basis. The continued exploitation of hardworking, educated, and professionally trained teachers is a blot on our educational system. Ending this exploitation will mark the triumph of justice and the defeat of the exploitative practices rampant in many private schools.
(The Writer is a Senior Journalist and Social Activist) |
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