Teachers’ transfer policy put on hold

Sanjeev Singh Bariana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 3

The state Cabinet’s ambitious transfer policy-2018 for schoolteachers has been put on hold before its formal notification. The development comes after the state government agreed to reconsider the provision for transfer of teachers after every seven years and related clauses which have been vehemently contested by teacher organisations.

Education Minister Om Parkash Soni said, “We had a discussion with the Chief Minister on the issue. Teachers are not normal professionals like policemen, administration officers, bankers or managers who need to be transferred regularly. Traditionally speaking, the length of service of teacher at one particular place has always been considered to be one of his biggest assets. The CM has assured us that the policy was being relooked into for possible amendment before its notification.”

The issue had attracted the attention of the state government after teacher organisations, on different occasions, including the recent Shahkot byelctions, contested the policy provision of transfer after every seven years.

A senior officer said, “We will also likely do away with the provision of assigning marks to teachers seeking transfers.”

Teachers have been speaking about their opposition to the proposed provision for posting only those male teachers in girls school who were above 50 years of age. A 35-year-old general secretary of a teacher organisation, requesting anonymity, said, “Putting an age limit for transfer to girls’ schools was a direct aspersion on the character of young teachers. This was ethically unfair.” The Education Minister said, “Unless there are professional reasons or personal problems, there is no need to transfer teachers in a time-bound manner.”

Sources said the government would stick to its intended plan of making the transfer policy transparent by making it online. General transfers will be made only once a year and the notification for the possible vacancies will be put on the department website by January 15 every year. Teachers will be given one month to fill their options. Formal transfer orders will be issued in the last week of March each year.