Resentment brews among teachers over ‘unfair’ transfer lists; CM urged to intervene
Arteev Sharma
Jammu: The recent release of transfer and posting lists of teachers and lecturers under the annual online transfer drive 2024–25 in Jammu and Kashmir has triggered a major controversy, with allegations of “favouritism, unfair reshuffling, and violations of policy guidelines” coming to the fore.
The issue has now reached the political corridors, with senior cabinet minister Javed Ahmed Rana, who holds the charge of Jal Shakti, Forest & Tribal Affairs in the Omar Abdullah-led National Conference government, raising concerns over the transfer process. Rana has urged his cabinet colleague and Education Minister Sakina Itoo to review the exercise.
“Amid uproar over alleged irregularities in transfers of teachers in Poonch by CEO (Chief Education Officer), I have requested Hon’ble Education Minister @sakinaitoo Ji to have the process reviewed. Also flagged alleged procedural lapses, unfair reshuffling, and policy violations. @OmarAbdullah,” he wrote on ‘X’.
Rana, who represents Mendhar constituency in Poonch district, has joined the chorus of voices critical of the transfer lists issued by the Chief Education Officers (CEOs) of Rajouri, Poonch, Samba, Kathua, as well as the lecturer postings ordered in Jammu district.
Sources told The News Now that teachers and lecturers across these districts have alleged large-scale irregularities in transfer lists.
“There are cases where teachers and lecturers serving in urban pockets have been shifted within a radius of just two to three kilometers, while those already working in hard zones have been moved to even more remote areas,” sources said.
Citing an example from Jammu city, they added, “Lecturers have been transferred from Government SRML Higher Secondary School Parade to Government Hari Singh Higher Secondary School—a distance of merely three kilometers.”
In Kathua and Samba, the transfer process has allegedly been influenced by favouritism and nepotism. “Influential teachers, particularly wives of senior officers and some politicians, have been posted within a radius of two kilometers in Hiranagar zone,” sources claimed.
The controversy has fueled resentment among the teaching fraternity, with many aggrieved staff members thronging CEO offices in their respective districts to seek modifications.
However, officials have reportedly directed them to first join their new places of posting before any changes can be considered.
“The recent transfer and posting lists have reduced the online annual transfer drive to a mockery. Influential people, especially senior officers in the administration, have managed to secure choice postings for their wives and relatives through CEOs and higher-ups in the education department. This raises serious questions over the administration’s tall claims of transparency and fairness in the process,” a senior lecturer alleged, requesting anonymity.
The aggrieved teachers and lecturers have appealed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to personally intervene and order a review of the transfer process to ensure justice.
