SRINAGAR: What greater irony there could be than the former deputy chief minister who held the vital portfolio of Education in Jammu and Kashmir, was himself under-Matric.
The affidavit which the senior Congress leader and former deputy chief minister of the state Tara Chand submitted before the Election Commission of India (ECI) reveals that his academic qualification was under-matric which means the minister who was in- charge of the education sector in Jammu and Kashmir had not even passed 10th class examination.
The details in the affidavit on para 10 of page 13 submitted that the educational qualification of Tara Chand was ‘Under-Matric’. Congress leader had mentioned his academic qualification as: ‘Under-Matric as per Govt Higher Secondary School Khour District Jammu.”
Pertinently, Tara Chand was the person who played vital role in supporting Omar’s government to function for full term. On July 14, 2010, Tara Chand said: “The Congress has extended full support to Omar and will continue to do so in future,” he said asserting the NC-Congress coalition government would complete its full term.
Addressing a public meeting in the border belt of Droi Nagar in Jammu region, the then deputy chief minister rubbished media reports about change of guard in the state.
Interestingly, the issue of ministers being well qualified while holding the portfolios related to education sector came to fore when the controversy over the appointment of Smriti Irani as the current Human Resource Development minister erupted. Congress leader Ajay Maken was the first to target Irani when he questioned how a person who is not even a graduate head the HRD ministry. Perhaps, the Congress high command was undermining that it had given the education portfolio to its leader in Jammu and Kashmir who had not even qualified his 10thclass examination.
If education is not important for holding a vital post, then how come government promotes education in the state, says Azra Yaseen, a university student here. She added that the government contradict its own stand on education when it accords key posts to under qualified persons.
“In my opinion every politician should be well educated. And if they are not, how will they understand problems of our common people. I know that to understand problems it is not necessary to be educated but when you are on a big post you should be aware of rules and some of the basic knowledge that is possible only when an educated person holds an important position,” says Zahid Mushtaq, a local columnist.