It sounds incredible, but it's true. A teacher appointed 21 years ago in the Kashmir Valley has never performed his duties as a teacher. Following the exposure of this case, the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has launched an in-depth inquiry into the "unauthorized absence" of a Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) teacher.
According to an official document, the Rehbar-e-Taleem teacher was appointed at Primary School Aragam in north Kashmir's Bandipora district.
The teacher, Arsullah Habib, has not fulfilled his teaching responsibilities for the past 21 years. Instead, he secured non-teaching assignments at the Chief Education Officer's (CEO) Office and the Deputy Commissioner's (DC) Office in Bandipora. Since his appointment under the ReT scheme in 2004, the errant teacher has allegedly never taught a single student.
Despite being appointed as a teacher, Habib has reportedly never been present in the classroom. He managed to secure attachments to government offices, drawing an annual salary of Rs 13 lakh, while students at his designated school were left without a teacher.
Shockingly, in 2021, he was even sent for a B.Ed. training program—a move intended to enhance his teaching skills, which he never put to use in a classroom.
Quoting some local villagers, a Kashmir-based news agency reported that the errant teacher rarely visits the school. He appeared briefly in March this year but soon disappeared again. What has further angered the community is how Habib managed to remain in administrative roles despite government orders to relieve all deputed teachers from non-teaching duties. While other teachers were sent back to schools, Habib was instead assigned as a coordinator for an IEC anti-drug campaign under the DC Bandipora's office, ensuring he continued to avoid teaching.
Following public outrage, DSEK has appointed Joint Director (North), Hakeem Tanveer, to investigate how Habib evaded classroom duties for over two decades.
A preliminary joint report from the District Vigilance Officer and Deputy Chief Education Officer, Bandipora, has indicated that the matter requires a thorough investigation to uncover how Habib managed to avoid teaching for more than 20 years.
The DSEK has designated Joint Director (North) as the Inquiry Officer to probe the issue. He has been directed to submit a detailed report with recommendations within ten days to facilitate further action against the teacher and any officials who may have enabled his prolonged absence.
The only job of a ReT teacher is to teach
The Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) scheme was launched in 2001 to improve student enrollment in government schools, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Over 35,000 teachers were recruited under this initiative who were later classified as Grade-II or Grade III based on their qualifications. After completing five years of service, these teachers were to be regularized as general line teachers.
The only job of the ReT teacher is to teach students. Neither a ReT teacher can transfer from his school nor he/she can be attached to any office.
