Govt notifies draft Transfer Policy for RReTs, Grade-II &III teachers

Srinagar, Sep 06: In a latest development, the School Education Department (SED) has proposed a comprehensive transfer policy for Rehbar-e-Taleem (RReT), Grade-II and Grade-III teachers wherein a three-year tenure and maximum five-year stay has been prescribed for place of postings.

The department has however introduced the provisions to prevent transfers between these categories and General Line Teachers (GLTs).

The draft Jammu and Kashmir Regularized Teachers (RReTs) Transfer Policy-2026 has been issued inviting objections and suggestions, with the department and the framework is aimed at ensuring need-based, student-centric transfers, staff rationalisation and administrative efficiency.

Under the proposed policy, every RReT teacher covered by it would have to complete three years at a place of posting before he or she becomes eligible for consideration for another transfer.

However, the department has proposed exceptions for compassionate and other exceptional grounds.

“No teacher would ordinarily be allowed to remain at a single place of posting for more than five years. On completion of the maximum tenure, the teacher would become liable for transfer in the interest of administration,” reads the draft transfer policy.

The department has also proposed that transfers will be normally conducted once a year through an Annual Transfer Drive (ATD), preferably at the end of the academic session and before commencement of the new session “to minimise disruption to teaching activities.”

“Mid-session transfers would be avoided except in cases involving serious medical grounds, security concerns or administrative exigencies,” it reads.

The draft categorises transfers into administrative transfers, mutual transfers, security-related deployments and compassionate transfers.

For inter-district mutual transfers, the policy proposes exchanges between teachers of the same cadre, qualification, subject and status, “subject to verification and approval by the competent authority.”

“Such transfers would not ordinarily be allowed within two years of a previous transfer,” reads the draft transfer policy.

It reads that the teachers transferred under the inter-district mutual transfer provision would retain their lien and promotion prospects in their parent districts.

“Special consideration will be given to teachers facing serious personal or family circumstances. Compassionate consideration will be given to cases involving life-threatening medical conditions, disability, widowhood, single parenthood and spouse unification, particularly where both spouses are government employees serving in different areas,” it reads.

As per the draft policy, the deployments on security grounds would be considered by the Administrative Department after following the prescribed procedure.

The draft further proposes that the Cluster Heads will make suitable internal arrangements where a teacher is deployed on compassionate or security grounds to ensure that school functioning is not disrupted.

Another provision seeks to protect reserved-category teachers by ensuring that their mandatory stay period under the Reservation Policy is fulfilled while processing transfers.

The policy has also proposed a 10-day grievance redressal window at the Joint Director level following issuance of transfer orders.

As per the draft policy, the department will restrict frequent transfers, proposing that an employee should ordinarily not be transferred again within two years of the previous transfer, unless necessitated by administrative exigency.

“Employees facing disciplinary proceedings would generally not be considered for transfer, except where their transfer is required in the interest of inquiry or administration,” it reads.

As per the draft, key provision specifically deals with RReTs who have not yet attained regularisation status.

“Such teachers would continue within their originally assigned place/zone, keeping in view the nature of their initial engagement,” it reads.

“However, once RReTs attain regularisation or are placed as Grade-II or Grade-III teachers, they would be governed fully by the proposed Transfer Policy,” the document reads

Department has also proposed a clear separation between RReTs, Grade-II and Grade-III teachers and GLTs.

“Transfers would take place between RReTs to RReTs, Grade-II to Grade-II and Grade-III to Grade-III, with no transfers of any kind between GLTs and ReT teachers, except those who have already been transitioned and adjusted against regular and substantive posts,” it reads.

As per the draft policy, the department will decentralise certain transfer powers while retaining administrative control over inter-district movements.

“Transfers within the same zone would be ordered by the concerned Zonal Education Officer after approval from the Chief Education Officer,” it reads.

Also, the transfers between zones within a district would be ordered by the concerned Chief Education Officer after approval from the Joint Director.

“Inter-district transfers and deployments would be ordered only by the Administrative Department recommendations of the concerned director,” it reads.