THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:The provisional transfer list of government higher secondary school teachers brought out by the Directorate of Higher Secondary Education (DHSE) has drawn flak. A section of teachers alleged that the list issued on Monday is not based on seniority but on priority grounds such as compassionate posting, physically handicapped, widows of armed forces’ personnel, spouse postings and even NRI postings.
Interestingly, many ‘ineligible’ teachers allegedly found a place in the list, and have managed to reap the benefits of priority and compassionate posting for getting posted in their home or nearby districts. In the fallout, those who did not opt for such priority benefits were transferred to places too far from their home districts.
According to a government order (GO) issued earlier this year, transfers should be based on the Kerala Administrative Tribunal order issued in December. The GO also issued a list containing 20 categories to opt for priority grounds, compassionate posting, physically handicapped, widows of armed forces’ personnel and NRI postings.
As per the GO, the government has fixed a limit of 10 per cent reservation for compassionate posting and 20 per cent reservation for priority posting. However, when the transfer list was published, these norms have allegedly been violated. Also, more than the prescribed number of teachers got into the list.
“A total of 2,255 teachers have been transferred, of which, 1,200 were transferred on priority grounds and 623 got compassionate posting. The figures itself indicate irregularities in the transfer list. If the list was based on norms, only 452 persons (20 per cent) are eligible to be posted on a priority basis, while only 223 persons (10 per cent) should get compassionate posting,” said a teacher from the state capital.
‘Most of teachers from T’Puram’
DHSE director P K Sudheer Babu told ‘Express’. “It is true that eligible teachers need to work in places far from their home districts. Of the total teaching staff, 65-70 per cent are from Thiruvananthapuram and Kollam districts. So, they will try to work in these districts. The issue has been brought to my attention. I have given time till June 11 for teachers to raise objections,” he said.