BENGALURU: On Tuesday, Education Minister Suresh Kumar tabled the Karnataka State Services (Regulation of Transfer of Teachers) Bill to regulate the transfer of teachers to ensure their availability in government schools.The Bill intends to specify a minimum of three years in a school before a teacher seeks a transfer.
The initial posting should be given in rural (C) zone and after promotion it should be taluk (B) zone. Only those who work in these zones, on promotion, can choose urban (A) zone during counselling. It also provides exemptions to teachers with disability as defined in the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.
The Bill proposes a teacher-friendly approach in transfers and rationalisation of teacher resources with exemptions and priorities for various categories. The counselling for transfers will be done during April and May.
The Bill proposes to exempt zonal transfers in some special cases if the teacher or spouse or children suffer from illnesses for which treatment is not available within the taluk in which the teacher is working. It also exempts a widow or widower or a divorcee with dependent children below 12 years. A teacher with spouse working as soldier or permanently disabled or deceased soldier are also exempted.
Teachers above 50 years in case of female and 55 years in case of male too are exempted. Pregnant teachers or women teachers with a child less than one year is also exempted. The Bill also prohibits transfers through manual counselling.
Transfers to rise from 3 to 15%
The present act is rigid and specifies compulsory transfer. Now teachers who are aged 50 years (female) and 55 years (male) working in cities after serving in rural and taluk areas will not be transferred as they will be retiring . The transfer per cent at present is 3 (that means only 3 per cent of total strength can be transferred) and it is now proposed to be 15 per cent.