The new transfer policy of teachers has evoked mixed response from the teaching fraternity of Uttarakhand. The State Government had cleared teacher's appointments, promotion, and transfer posting (fourth amendment) guidelines 2014 on Tuesday.
Expressing satisfaction at the new policy, the State President of Prathemik Shikshak Sangh, Nirmala Mahar told The Pioneer that most of the suggestions given by the Sangh to the State Government are included in the new transfer policy. She said that the policy envisages that the representatives of the teaching organisations would be a part of the committee assigned for the task of grading the schools of the State, which is good sign in the direction of maintaining transparency. Mahar said that the Sangh had suggested that the percentage of desired postings on disease and other grounds of teachers should be restricted to less than 10 but the policy allows this type of transfers' upto 50 percent of vacant posts which can be utilised by the vested interests. She added that the state government should ensure proper implementation of this policy on ground.
The President of the Rajkeeya Shikshak Sangh (RSS) Karnel Singh sounded unhappy with the state government on the new policy. He told The Pioneer that the proposal to add the performance of teachers while deciding their application of transfer is a welcome decision but added that the government should ensure that all the vacant posts of subject teachers are filled before putting the burden of performance on the teachers. He questioned as how any one teacher can be held accountable for absence of other teachers in the school. Singh said that the policy should have clearly mentioned that the newly appointed teachers are posted compulsorily at the schools located in the remote and inaccessible areas.
The Divisional patron Kumaon division of RSS Sohan Singh Majra said that instead of the policy the state government should come out with a proper transfer act. He said that at present most of the teachers lose the precious time in setting their equations right for posting in desired places which would be saved if the transfer act is implemented. He expressed his displeasure at removing bronchitis from the list of diseases on which teachers can ask of transfer. He questioned that how a teacher with bronchitis can serve in the schools located in mountainous areas. The Vice President of Garhwal division of RSS Mukesh Bahuguna said that the state government should bring a proper teacher transfer act so that a constitutional status is given to the transfer policy. He said that different governments bring about different transfer polices but no policy is transparent enough.
The policy gives some relief to the wives of the serving armed forces personnel in the transfers. Vandana Payal a teacher posted in Yamkeshwar block of Pauri district said that since large number of people of the state serve in the armed forces, the new rule would definitely help the families of those female teachers whose husbands are in the armed forces.The new policy seeks to restore some semblance of order in the much criticized transfer of teachers. The charges of nepotism, favoritism and money in the transfers are most common in the department and with this transfer policy probably the state government wants to address the issue seriously.