JAMMU — February 09, 2026:-In a major announcement for the education sector, Minister for Education Sakeena Itoo informed the Legislative Assembly on Monday that the government is actively considering the de-freezing of teacher posts across the Union Territory.
This move aims to address the persistent staff shortages in government schools that resulted from a 2018 State Administrative Council decision to freeze recruitment during the transition of Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teachers and the resolution of salary issues for those engaged under the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan (SSA).
The Minister emphasized that the administration is working to fast-track fresh recruitment processes to ensure that academic standards are not compromised due to vacancies.As part of a broader push to strengthen the academic and administrative framework, Minister Itoo detailed several recent workforce augmentations.
She informed the House that 594 Lecturer positions across 27 disciplines have already been referred to the JKPSC, while hundreds of non-teaching and Multi-Tasking Staff (MTS) roles are currently under review by the Finance Department for revival.
During the 2025-2026 period, the department has seen significant internal promotions, including the elevation of 258 Senior Lecturers to in-charge Principals and 1,170 Teachers to Master grades. Additionally, the placement of over 500 Masters as in-charge Headmasters is currently in process, ensuring that school leadership positions are adequately filled.
Addressing specific concerns regarding Udhampur district, the Minister noted that the Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) in the Udhampur West constituency stands at a healthy 1:16, indicating that overall staff levels are sufficient relative to student enrollment.
However, to bridge any remaining gaps, the department is currently implementing a staff rationalization policy and engaging Cluster Resource Coordinators (CRCs). She credited these targeted government initiatives for the recent academic upswing in the Jammu Division, where 10th and 12th-grade board exam results have surpassed previous benchmarks.
The session concluded with the Minister reaffirming the government’s commitment to academic quality through subject-specific teaching and expanded online learning resources.
