Mid-year teacher transfer process in K’taka leaves permanent faculty posts vacant in state

In the middle of the current academic year, the Karnataka government has initiated a large-scale transfer programme of primary and secondary school teachers. The move has reportedly led to a shortage of staff. The crisis has now posed a threat of schools being rendered dysfunctional without adequate teaching staff.

Thousands of teachers, who have benefited from the inter-departmental reshuffle, have been transferred to their home districts. As a result, hundreds of schools now have to depend on a handful of guest teachers, owing to the sudden scarcity of permanent faculty members. This has created an adverse impact on the education in government schools, especially in institutes falling under the Kalyana Karnataka areas, where schools in the economically backward areas are forced to remain open only for mid-day meals.

Speaking about the staff shortage, education expert Dr VP Niranjanaradhya said, “It is unscientific to initiate a teacher transfer process in the middle of an academic year. In taluks such as Devadurga, Kanakapura and Soraba there are no permanent teachers at present. The government has neglected the welfare of children.”

Transfers to be completed by August 11

Counselling programme for the inter-departmental transfer of assistant teachers of primary and secondary schools of the taluks, districts, divisional levels is underway. The process will be completed by August 11. Many teachers, who have already received the driving (movement) order along with interdivisional transfers, have been relieved of their duties and have moved to their desired district and location.

Primary schools in border areas of the state severely hit

There has been a big shift in government schools after this development. The number of permanent teachers in government schools bordering Kalyana Karnataka area, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra has dropped to zero. It is feared that once the transfer process is complete, primary and secondary schools in the state will face more turmoil.

Any shortage of faculty will be looked into, says state primary and secondary education minister

The majority of the posts in government schools in the seven districts of Kalyana Karnataka have been bagged by teachers from the southern districts of the state on the basis of merit and talent. For the posts of teachers in backward Kalyana Karnataka, candidates from the advanced districts were recruited, who were transferred to their own district after a year, and the posts remained vacant again. To avoid this practice, SM Krishna, who was the then CM, formed a cabinet sub-committee during his tenure, which was led by Chairman HK Patil. The committee made an important recommendation. The order recommended, “The post of teacher should not be transferred to another taluk or district for at least five years from the date of appointment. Even when the transfer was allowed, the condition that if more than 25 per cent of the posts were vacant, the limit should not exceed 2 per cent.”

However, primary and secondary education minister Madhu Bangarappa green-lit the transfer programme in the middle of an academic year. Speaking on the move, he said, “There are transfer windows in a year, which happens through counselling, and that is the process we follow. We cannot stop the transfers now, because it's happening in keeping with the rules. It should have happened earlier, but there has been a delay this year. Shortage of teachers, if any, will be addressed.”

Over 25 per cent of teaching posts were vacant

In the developed Malnad region, Kalyana Karnataka region and 43 economically backward taluks, more than 25 per cent of the teacher posts were lying vacant. Though no limit was fixed, the requirement was to serve for 10 to 15 years. Soon after, the floodgate of teachers' transfer was opened and teachers, who have been waiting for transfer for more than 15-16 years, were transferred to their home district.

A total of 5,253 teachers to be transferred

Inter-departmental transfer is allowed at the district level instead of the state level. Across the state, primary school teachers (4,022), high school teachers (964) and headmasters and equivalent teachers (267), totalling to 5,253 teachers, are being transferred under the teacher transfer programme.

SDMC criticises move

While there is no objection to the transfer of those who were posted in far-flung districts away from their homes for decades, the alternative arrangement made to fill up the vacant posts is being criticised. Both educationists and the School Development and Monitoring Committee (SDMC) have objected to the transfer of teachers in the middle of the academic year.

Opposition slams government, says it doesn't have money to pay salaries

There are 13,362 vacancies that are yet to be filled up. Criticising the move, former primary and secondary education minister BC Nagesh told Republic, “If the government was really concerned about the education of poor children, it should have moved the court urgently through the AG. There would have been no problem if permission had been obtained for the appointment of 13,362 new teachers subject to the condition of the final verdict. As far as I know, the government has not discussed the issue with the AG and is delaying the appointment of new teachers because there is no money to pay salaries.”

Breaking down the teacher transfer numbers

There are reportedly no teachers in 80 schools in the Kalaburagi district. Of the total 6,726 sanctioned posts in the district, 2,548 are vacant. Sources in the additional commissioner's office said the exact number of teachers transferred in the inter-division will be known after the process is over.

So far, 25 high school and 125 primary school teachers in Koppal district have been transferred. As of now, 800 teachers have reportedly been transferred out of the district. In Raichur district, approximately 150 high school teachers and 650 primary school teachers have been transferred to other districts. This number is estimated to reach 1,500 in total. Some 244 teachers were transferred within the Ballari district, 69 in inter-district and 121 in inter-division. In Vijayanagara district, 397 primary school teachers have been transferred to other districts while 685 teachers have arrived. The posts of 315 primary school teachers are vacant. In Yadgir district, 4,633 primary and secondary posts are lying vacant. The transfer process is underway.