Jammu and Kashmir Government Notifies Draft Transfer Policy for Teachers

Srinagar, September 06

The Jammu and Kashmir School Education Department has notified a draft transfer policy for Rehbar-e-Taleem (RReT), Grade-II, and Grade-III teachers, proposing a three-year tenure at a posting and a maximum stay of five years. The policy, aiming for need-based and student-centric transfers, aims to enhance staff rationalisation and administrative efficiency across the union territory.

Information was available with The Chenab Times that the draft, titled the Jammu and Kashmir Regularized Teachers (RReTs) Transfer Policy-2026, is currently open for objections and suggestions from stakeholders. A significant aspect of the proposed policy is the prevention of transfers between these specific teacher categories and General Line Teachers (GLTs), with certain exceptions for those already transitioned and adjusted against regular posts.

Under the proposed framework, teachers must complete a minimum of three years at their current posting before being considered for a transfer. However, the policy includes provisions for exceptions on compassionate grounds and other exceptional circumstances. It states that no teacher would ordinarily be permitted to remain at a single posting for more than five years, after which they would be liable for transfer in the interest of administration.

The School Education Department intends to conduct transfers primarily through an Annual Transfer Drive (ATD), preferably scheduled at the conclusion of an academic session and before the start of a new one. This timing is designed to minimise disruptions to teaching activities. Mid-session transfers are to be avoided unless specific conditions, such as serious medical grounds, security concerns, or administrative exigencies, necessitate them.

The draft policy categorises transfers into four types: administrative transfers, mutual transfers, security-related deployments, and compassionate transfers. For inter-district mutual transfers, the policy proposes exchanges between teachers holding the same cadre, qualifications, subject, and status, subject to approval by the competent authority. Such mutual transfers would not normally be allowed within two years of a previous transfer, and teachers involved would retain their lien and promotion prospects in their original districts.

Special consideration is to be given to teachers facing severe personal or family circumstances. This includes cases involving life-threatening medical conditions, disability, widowhood, single parenthood, and spouse unification, particularly when both spouses are government employees working in different locations. Deployments on security grounds will be handled by the Administrative Department following a prescribed procedure, with Cluster Heads expected to make suitable internal arrangements to prevent disruption to school functioning.

The policy also aims to protect reserved-category teachers by ensuring that their mandatory stay period under the Reservation Policy is fulfilled during the transfer process. A 10-day grievance redressal window is proposed at the Joint Director level after the issuance of transfer orders. Furthermore, the policy suggests restricting frequent transfers, stating that an employee should not ordinarily be transferred again within two years of their previous transfer, barring administrative necessities.

Employees facing disciplinary proceedings are generally not to be considered for transfer, unless their relocation is deemed essential for the inquiry or administrative purposes. A key provision specifically addresses RReTs who have not yet achieved regularisation status. These teachers are to continue within their originally assigned places or zones, in line with their initial engagement terms. However, upon regularisation or placement as Grade-II or Grade-III teachers, they will be fully governed by the new transfer policy.

The department has also proposed a clear distinction between RReTs, Grade-II, Grade-III teachers, and GLTs. Transfers will occur within these respective categories, with no inter-category transfers between GLTs and ReT teachers, except for those already adjusted against regular posts. The policy intends to decentralise some transfer powers, with Zonal Education Officers ordering transfers within a zone after Chief Education Officer approval, and Chief Education Officers handling inter-zone transfers within a district with Joint Director approval. Inter-district transfers and deployments will be ordered by the Administrative Department based on recommendations from the concerned directors.

The draft policy mandates a review every five years, or sooner if deemed necessary, along with periodic assessments of teacher deployment to ensure rationalisation and effective implementation.

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