Jammu and Kashmir: KU, JU teachers' attendance non-mandatory

However, the faculty of the Degree Colleges has been asked to attend the institutions as per the roasters, an official said.

However the teachers will deliver the online classes as per their convenience to avoid disruption in academics of students.

The J&K government has ordered closure of all schools, colleges and Universities till May 15 to contain the spread of the COVID-19. Dean Academic Affairs KU, Prof. Shabir Ahmad Bhat said it was not mandatory for the teaching faculty to ensure attendance in their respective departments.

“Since the University has shifted to online mode. As long as the teachers deliver the classes, they are at liberty to do it as per their convenience. They can deliver online classes from their residences,” he said.

Prof. Bhat said the teachers should however ensure that academics of students don’t get interrupted. “We have asked the HoDs to monitor the attendance of students and teachers during the online classes,” he said.

He however said some teachers have started some of their experiments of their own in the University for which they might need to visit their department or Laboratory to be in touch with their projects or experiments.

“They can come to the campus and attend the laboratories to see the development of their experiments. But they should adhere to COVID-19 SoPs while attending the laboratories or department,” he said.

He said there was no restriction on students and scholars for their personal interaction with their teachers in the campus.

The Jammu University (JU) has also shifted to the online mode of education for students of all the semesters besides the officers below the rank of Assistant Registrar.

“The teaching faculty will impart teaching instructions to the students of all the semesters, including research work supervision of their respective scholars through online mode from their respective work areas and residences as per the feasibility,” reads an order issued by Registrar JU.

“The non-teaching employees below the rank of Assistant Registrar and equivalent pay band positions will work from home through online mode under the supervision and discretion of their respective controlling officers,” the order reads.

Meanwhile the Higher Education Department (HED) has ordered the teaching faculty of the Colleges to conduct online classes from their respective institutions, as per a roster to be prepared by the concerned Heads of institutions.

The roasters however have to be prepared while adhering to COVID-19 SOPs issued by the government.

“The daily working of the teaching faculty shall be monitored by the Principal concerned and shall submit the requisite information to the administrative department in a proper format on a weekly basis,” reads an order issued by the secretary HED, Sushma Chauhan.

The secretary has ordered that the online teaching should continue till the restrictions are in place for which teaching staff will attend their respective institutions.

“In order to ensure mandatory level of student attendance in online classes, satisfactory attendance (as per UGC norms), shall be an important parameter in according marks in internal assessment,” the order reads.

The attendance sheets should be maintained on a daily basis by the colleges and shared with students fortnightly, the order reads.