Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 3: Over 650 pre-mature transfers and deployments of teaching and non-teaching staff were made by the School Education Department across Jammu and Kashmir during the past nearly three years.
This information was provided by the Minister for Education Altaf Bukhari in reply to the question of BJP MLA from Kathua Rajiv Jasrotia in the Legislative Assembly today.
As per the data provided by the Minister, a total of 660 pre-mature transfers and deployments of teaching and non-teaching staff were made by the School Education Department from April 1, 2015 till date.
Despite admitting that the figures are alarming, the Minister said, “the premature transfers wherever unavoidable were ordered with the prior approval of the competent authority keeping in view the administrative exigency”, adding “in certain cases pre-mature transfers were effected on health, security and marriage grounds”.
The Minister claimed that while ordering such transfers, efforts were made to provide substitutes enabling the smooth functioning of the department. “The attachments/deployments have been made on the approval of the administrative department/HoD concerned”, he added.
About the action taken against the concerned officers for transfer of ReTs in contravention of the basic spirit of the policy, Altaf Bukhari said, “the engagement of ReTs is school specific and their transfers is not covered under the Transfer Policy of the department as such no transfers of ReTs have been made in contravention of the basic spirit of the transfer policy”.
He, however, said that in Jammu division some transfers of ReTs have been issued by the Chief Education Officers in contravention of the basic spirit of the transfer policy for which an inquiry has already been initiated by the department. “The inquiry report is yet to be received”, the Minister informed the House.
Altaf Bukhari further informed the House that the State Cabinet has approved up-gradation of 200 Middle Schools (100 in each division) to the level of High School and 200 High Schools (100 in each division) to Higher Secondary level.
“However, the upgradation of schools shall be subject to availability of funds for creation of requisite staff and infrastructure”, he made it clear.
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