Teacher transfers resume today

Teachers' transfers that were stopped temporarily almost for a week will resume on Wednesday.

Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar announced on Tuesday that the entire process will be completed by the end of September.

Addressing the media after a marathon meeting with department officials to discuss about Karnataka State Civil Services (Regulation of transfer of teachers) (Amendment) Act, 2017, the minister said the transfers were put on hold considering the requests from several teachers who were considered for compulsory transfers.

"To verify the requests made by several teachers we had to put the process on hold. Now, after discussing this in detail with department officials and other people concerned, we have decided to resume the same on Wednesday," said the minister.

The department has completed transfer process for excess teachers, compulsory specified posts and request transfers. Only compulsory transfers from A zone to B and C zone (urban to semi-urban and rural) are pending.

So far, 16,066 teachers got the benefit of transfers which were due for the last three years. Of these, 4,260 from both primary and high schools were waiting under compulsory transfers and 3,777 under mutual transfers.

The minister said that the government will propose one more round of amendments to the existing Act before the commencement of transfer process for next year. "To avoid last minute distractions and confusions we will start the process for next year early and by next assembly session we will propose amendment to the existing Act," said Suresh Kumar.

The minister, who is unhappy with the amendments brought to the Act, said, "These amendments were passed in the Assembly and Council when the opposition party was in protest over some other issue. It was not at all discussed and such a serious bill has become an Act without a discussion."

"I feel compulsory transfer is a punishment. This is not there in any other government departments. Then, why in education? We cannot give justice to teachers without bringing amendments to the Act and there is a need to bring in a teacher friendly transfer policy," Kumar said.

Exemptions given
350 Terminally ill
110 Open heart surgery
780 Specially abled
753 Widows
139 Ex-servicemen
8 Serving soldiers
3675 Couple cases
106 Carrying mothers
20 Office bearers of teachers associations and unions