42% Class XI seats vacant in SoEs, 200 lecturers’ posts also to be filled

Mehak Jain
Ludhiana: Around 42% of seats are yet to be occupied by students of Class XI in the 16 Schools of Eminence (SoEs) of the district. The seats are vacant in all four streams of medical, non-medical, commerce and humanities. According to data received by the district education department, around 875 of 2,058 seats in the 16 SoEs are vacant. State records show that 5,500 of 19,532 total seats are vacant and 14,000 students have been admitted to Class XI after two counselling sessions.

In the district, there are 36 seats in Class IX and 32 seats for each section of Class XI in every SoE, totalling 128 seats.Almost all the seats in Class IX in all SoEs have been filled but 11 seats are left in SoE Jawahar Nagar. Maximum of 88 Class XI seats are vacant in SoE Bharat Nagar, 83 seats are left in SoE Jawahar Nagar, 81 seats are vacant in SoE, Baddowal and 71 seats are vacant in SoE, Gill. Officials said that the vacant seats were in the reserved category and would be de-reserved, after which students would be called for open counselling.
The situation is exacerbated by the fact that a few schools lack lecturers too.
The post of commerce lecturers have not been filled in two SoEs, where students have also not taken admission, sources said. Around 200 posts are vacant in the SoEs.
The same teachers also teach non-SoE students, totalling 11,598 students (from classes IX to XII) in 16 SoEs. At 1,437, the largest number of non-SoE students are in SoE, Bharat Nagar, followed by SoE Sekhewal with 1,327 and SoE Mundian Kalan with 1,293. SoE students are taught separately. They also have a different schedule of tests, trips, exposure visits and project work while the rest of the syllabus is the same for SoE and non SoE students.
SoE is the flagship scheme of the Aam Admi Party (AAP). It is aimed at providing quality education to meritorious students and training students from classes IX to XII for entrance exams like JEE, NEET, CLAT and CA foundation. To fill the posts, the education department has released a circular, saying, “Due to a large number of vacant posts of lecturers and master cadres, education of students is likely to be affected in SoEs. Lecturers and masters who are willing to join SoE schools can request DEOs to prepare a proposal for the school. Only 10 proposals will be accepted for vacant posts in each school, where the teacher transfer policy will be followed, including the probation period and other conditions.” District education officer (secondary) Harjinder Singh said “
Around 42% of total seats are yet to be occupied by the students of class XI in the 16 Schools of Eminence (SOE), we tried to fill students in SoEs however reserved seats are yet to be filled. Vacant posts in a few schools will be filled on priority. For example, two SoEs do not have commerce lecturers. We have received around 60 proposals from teachers who have applied for the total posts vacant in 16 SOEs. We will compile the proposal and send it to higher authorities.”
Churchil Kumar, special secretary, school education said, “The education department received over 1 lakh applications for admission in SoE this session for classes IX and XI. Almost all the seats have been filled for Class IX. Only reserved category of Class XI is left, which will be filled through de-reservation of seats and students will be called for open counselling shortly.”
On vacant posts in SoEs, he said, “We have asked master cadre and lecturers to send proposals to the head office or district education officer (secondary) by next week. Also, master cadre promotion is in process and by this month we will be able to fill up teachers’ post in SoEs.”