Despite the repeated claims of the government to streamline the posting of teaching faculty, the teachers posted in very hard zone areas seem to have been forgotten by the School Education Department (SED).
Despite completing their tenure in these areas, dozens of teachers continue to remain posted in the schools of very hard zone areas, contrary to the claims made by the SED.
Over the past few months, the government claimed to reshuffle staff and shift teachers from very hard zones to normal zones and vice versa. However, there has been no change on the ground as the “forgotten lot” of teachers are yet to be shifted from Zone-V areas.
The aggrieved teachers said that such hollow claims of streamlining the transfers are made only to get media hype. “Such statements are made solely to remain in the headlines. Last year, during the ATD, dozens of teachers were sent to Zone-V for the second and even third time, while those having political influence or close connections with officers have been posted for decades at their preferred and specific places, particularly in Srinagar and other towns. They were not touched at all,” one of the teachers complained to Greater Kashmir.
“Even if some of them were transferred, they were sent only within a distance of about five kilometres. Those responsible for conducting the ATD should be asked to explain the process,” the teacher added.
Teachers and masters posted in hard and very hard zone areas of border districts complained that they continue to remain “stuck” in far-off areas despite completing their tenure.
The aggrieved teachers said they completed the prescribed tenure in hard and very hard zone areas under challenging conditions, but their transfer to feasible soft-zone areas was not yet considered. The teachers said the School Education Department’s Transfer Policy, notified vide Government Order No. 103-JK(Edu) of 2023 dated April 24, 2023, states that the employees posted in Zone-V areas are ordinarily required to serve for one year, while those serving in such difficult locations are to be given preference for postings in Zone-I and Zone-II areas to the extent possible.
“But despite repeatedly approaching officers and authorities in the department, our grievances remain unresolved. We have moved from pillar to post requesting implementation of the policy provisions, but our concerns continue to remain unheard,” the teachers said.
The teachers have been left to fend for themselves at a time when the government claims that teachers posted in far-off areas will be provided incentives instead of those posted in urban and city schools.
But on the ground, the reality is something different. The influential teachers continue to remain posted in cities and towns irrespective of their requirement, given the enrolment of the students.
As already reported by this newspaper, the Minister for Education, Sakina Itoo, said that teachers will be shifted from very hard zones after completing their tenure as per the transfer policy. But till date, the decision is yet to be implemented on the ground.
Under the transfer policy, Zone-IV and Zone-V areas have been categorized as difficult postings with prescribed tenures of two years and one year, respectively. The policy further states that employees who have served in Zone-V should preferably be accommodated in softer zones after completion of their tenure.
The aggrieved teachers appealed to the authorities to ensure that the transfer policy is implemented “in letter and spirit” and that eligible employees are transferred from hard zones without further delay. The teachers said the timely implementation of the policy would address employee grievances and also strengthen confidence in the department’s transfer mechanism.
Earlier, Advisor to J&K CM Nasir Aslam Wani said the government would not allow teachers to remain posted permanently in either urban or rural areas, saying that postings would be made through a rotation system.
