Srinagar, April 10 -- In a country where government employment opportunities are scarce and cannot possibly accommodate the flood of qualified youth, the private sector becomes the de facto employment avenue. Among private employers, private educational institutions-particularly schools-form a significant share. Yet, this sector, which claims to be the torchbearer of enlightenment and progress, is riddled with systemic exploitation, especially when it comes to the treatment of its most vital asset: the teacher.

Nowhere is this more evident than in the private schools of Jammu and Kashmir, where thousands of educated and competent individuals are employed under conditions that barely scratch the surface of decency. These schools, which ad...