Launched with much fanfare, the J&K government’s Rehbar-e-Khel scheme has turned out to be a nightmare for the youth recruited by the government in youth service and sports department under the scheme.
Three years after their recruitment in the department, the candidates are hitting streets demanding enhancement in salary and framing of a job policy for them.
The government in October officially adopted the Rehbar-e-Khel policy (scheme) with creation of around 3000 posts Rehbar-e-Khel (ReK). The process was followed by the engagement of candidates against these 3000 positions in terms of the policy for the engagement of ReK.
All these candidates are rendering their services mostly in the government schools for the past three years. But over the years, these candidates have become the worst victim of exploitation as they are paid just Rs 100 a day. The candidates are B.PEd, M.PEd and some possess PhD degree as well. But for the government these qualified lots are not even at par with unskilled laborers who are paid more than Rs 500 a day.
The government recruited these candidates after it declared sports, games and physical education compulsory in all middle, high and higher secondary schools in J&K. It was made mandatory for the department of youth services and sports to provide services of at least one physical education teacher in the schools to implement the decision.
Then the government claimed it focus on the “Fitness for all” slogan besides promotion and popularization of sports in J&K. And in these last three years, the schools witnessed a boom in the participation of students in the sports events be it indoor or outdoor with the proper guidance of these physical teachers recruited under the ReK scheme.
The person recruited as ReK acted as a catalyst to ensure the overall personality development of the school children. While delivering their duties to broaden the spectrum of students in terms of sports and help them in their personality development, these ReKs have been subjected to mental agony and depression.
On one hand, these ReKs are entrusted with the duty of personality development of students while on the other hand the same lot is given step-motherly treatment.
Over the years, the young lot of ReK have given their blood and sweat in building the confidence among the school children at the cost of their own motivational power and self-confidence because of the atrocities of the successive regimes. Rs 100 per day for these youth is at all not justified, come what may.
During their services in the department, these ReKs have contributed their bit to bring in-parity in the schools in imparting physical education and filled the gaps in terms of deficiency of physical education staff in the schools.
But there is no justification with government to take credit for all the achievements in promotion of sports but should introspect and should stop further exploitation of these youth.
The matter of fact is that these candidates were not handpicked by the government for their appointment as Rehbar-e-Khel but they gone through a rigorous selection process only to get exploited at the end of the day.
At the time of the implementation of the scheme, the government decided that the monthly honorarium of ReK will be Rs 3000 per month for the first two years which will be later enhanced to Rs.4000 per month from third to 7th year.
But the government had also claimed that the policy will be amended at any point of time with the intention to secure the job of these candidates along with the enhancement of their salaries as well.
Last year, the government constituted a high level committee to recommend the amendments to be made in the scheme by virtue of which the government would be able to frame a job policy for these candidates and enhance their salary as well.
Unfortunately, a year has passed but there is no positive development regarding this from the government side due to which the candidates recruited as Rehbar-e-Khel continue to face exploitation from the government.
Even the government doesn’t even bother to instruct the committee to submit its recommendation on enhancement of the salary and framing of a job policy for these ReKs.
As per the contents of the policy, the government has claimed to initiate the regularization of Rehbar-e-Khel employees in a staggered manner on completion of their seven years of service. So, it means, the employees will continue to get exploited with meager salaries given by the government.
Keeping in view the role of these ReKs the government should address their problems and stop further exploitation of these recruits. If these candidates will continue to face the same approach from the government they will obviously lose their motivation and confidence which will mar the core aim of the scheme launched in the schools.
The Rehbar-e-Khel scheme can only sustain if the government will encourage the recruits instead of downing their morale and confidence by making them victim of ongoing exploitation. These ReKs at least deserve to be treated at par with unskilled laborers. Government needs to address the grave issue till it is too late.