Punjab issues school teacher transfer policy

The Punjab Government has issued guidelines for the general transfers of teachers of the Education Department in the state for the year 2006-07.

Disclosing this here today, a spokesman of the Department of Education, Punjab said that the transfers of JBT/ETT and Master Cadre would be completed by 30th June. Giving details of the broad guidelines to be adopted for the transfers, he said that as per the policy of the state government transfers would be kept to the barest minimum and would be made against vacant sanctioned posts. The transfers at the district level would be made by the District Education Officers (DEOs) and applications could be submitted till 25 th May. For inter-district and inter-circle transfers, which would be processed by the Circle Education Officers (CEOs) and the DPIs respectively, application would be entertained till 31st May. All the DEOs (Elementary & Secondary) would process the received applications from 26 May to 31 May and transfer orders would be issued from 1 st June 7th June. They would submit the lists of vacant posts to the DPIs till 15th June and the transferee teachers have to join at new stations till 14th June.

He added that the circle and district level transfers of Master cadre would be completed till 20 June while as inter-district and inter-circle transfers would be made by the DPI (S) till 30 th June. The DPI (E) would process the inter-district transfers of JBT/ETT cadre till 23rd June and under transfer teachers have to join at the stations till 30th June. All the DEOs has been directed to submit the list, having the information about the teacher's joining and abstaining from joining at transferred stations, to both the DPIs.

He further added that for the purpose of transfers of teachers, all the state schools, at the Districts Headquarters and Sub-divisional Headquarters and within the periphery of 10 k.m of the headquarters, have been put into category 'A' where as those schools, falling in those cities/towns, having no rural Panchayats and within their municipal limits of 10 k.m, have been catagorised as 'B' category. All the rural schools have been put into category 'C'. Those schools, falling within the distance of 8 k.m from International Border, except A & B category schools, have been placed into category 'E' and the schools having distance more than 8 k.m to 16 k.m from International Border, except A&B category schools, would be considered into category 'D'.

He clarified that only those transfer applications would be entertained which were submitted through proper channel. Inter-district transfers would be made on the condition of surplus teachers but inter-district transfer would be entertained only on mutual basis. The teachers who were on leave without proper permission or abstaining from duty, would not be allowed to submit transfer or mutual transfer applications. No transfer order would be issued on deputation or transfer with post.

He further added that those teachers who were due to retire within two years, would not be transferred without their consent. In this case no mutual transfer application would be entertained. All transfer orders would be implemented within seven days and transfer would be presumed cancelled on the 8 th day in case of abstaining from joining. The primary teachers in the schools undertaken by the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs), would be given priority in transfers at the first stage but such transfers would be made only after the joining of teachers recruited by these PRIs. The transfers in the single teacher/double teacher schools, would be made only if an alternative teacher be available for such elementary school. Under this transfer policy lady teachers, desirous of postings in the girls schools, would be given preference.

He further said that only those teachers having stay of 3 years, could send their transfer applications but a few categories have been excluded from this condition to mitigate their sufferings like widows, unmarried & newly married girls, wife of army personal, chronic patient, teachers whose children are suffering from polio, handicapped or mentally challenged and priority would be given to them in these transfers.