Punjab: Govt eases transfer norms for 'exempted category' teachers

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, November 20

In a major relief to teachers falling in the ‘exempted category’, now they won’t have to wait for the whole year to get posting at stations of their choice. The government has started the process to open the online transfer portal for ‘exempted category’ cases every month.

The ‘exempted category’

• The teachers who are disabled; themselves or their dependents suffering from cancer; require dialysis; have undergone kidney transplant; suffering from Hepatitis C/Sickle Cell Disease or thalassaemia fall in this category.
• Besides, teachers who are divorced; care givers for differently abled children; widows; spouses of armed forces, etc also fall in this category.

Such cases were considered once a year along with general transfers.

As per the transfer policy was notified by the government last year in October, the teachers, who are disabled; themselves or their dependents suffering from cancer; required dialysis; gone through kidney transplantation; suffering from Hepatitis C/Sickle Cell Disease or thalassaemia fall in the exempted category. Apart from that, teachers who are divorced; care givers for differently abled children; widows; spouses of armed forces, etc also fall in the category.

Normally, the teachers who are willing to get transferred can apply online on the e-Punjab portal of the Education Department in March. The transfer requests received through offline mode are not entertained.

So far, the teachers falling under the exempted category were also considered along with general requests when transfer portal used to open once a year. Now, with this decision, the portal will be opened every month and they won’t have to wait for the entire year.

Sources in the Education Department reveal that the minister has given nod to the new decision and its logistics are being worked out.

“It will be a great relief for the teachers who fall in the exempted category. They won’t have to wait for one year to get desired postings,” said Officer on Special Duty to the Education Minister Gulshan Chhabra. The Education Minister had given approval to the decision and soon it would be implemented, he said.