Empowering Education | SED opens floor for ideas for mass faculty shakeup in J&K schools

Srinagar, Dec 22: The School Education Department (SED) has sought suggestions from the Director of School Education Jammu and Kashmir division regarding the initiation of the Annual Transfer Drive (ATD)-2024-25.

The move comes amid the closure of schools for the three-month long winter vacations while the department intends to complete the process within the prescribed period.

An official communication issued from the Administrative Department has referred to clause A (2) of the transfer policy-2023 of the SED under which all the transfers are made through online mode for which the department would issue notification every year at the end of the academic session.

“To complete the transfer process for the academic session 2024-25, within the prescribed time frame as per the transfer policy 2023, I am here directed to request you to furnish the suggestions and comments regarding the schedule for initiation of the transfer drive besides other suggestions regarding the transfer drive of the teaching community,” reads the official communication signed by Deputy Secretary SED.

The SED has started an online system for mass reshuffling of the teachers, masters, and lecturers executed through ATD under which the teaching faculty in all the schools is reshuffled across J&K.

“During previous years, the ATD extended till mid-session due to which there was a little bit of disturbance in schools. But this year the intention is to execute ATD during the vacation months so that the entire process gets completed before the culmination of winter vacations,” the official told Greater Kashmir.

The official said that the department would try to address the grievances about the reshuffle of the teaching faculty before the commencement of the new academic session to ensure that there are no disturbances in academic sessions due to the transfer of teaching staff in schools.

“There remains some scope of error in the reshuffling of teachers through an online process and we want to address all these issues before the new session starts,” he said.

Notably, the department has already been authorised to rationalise the teaching staff in schools falling within their jurisdiction to maintain the Pupil Teacher Ratio (PTR) in schools.