The issue of teachers’ transfers is once again in the limelight. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Chief Spokesperson Dr. Sravan Dasoju demanded a high level probe against Deputy Chief Minister (Education) Kadiyam Srihari and Commissioner of Collegiate Education Navin Mittal for their alleged involvement.
In an open letter to Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Sunday, Sravan alleged that web counselling has proved to be a big farce with some teachers managing to get transfers of their choice on payment of money. Even a few leaders of Teachers Unions allegedly played the role of a broker/middlemen bringing shame for the entire fraternity, he alleged.
The State Government had issued a GO MS No. 182 on 21st May 2016 (Telangana Inter Local Cadre Employees Transfers on Spouse Grounds) permitting transfer of employees in the State Government whose spouses are working in Central Government, State Government and Local Bodies and State Level Public Sector Undertakings from one local cadre to another or within the same local cadre as the case may be, on spouse grounds. However, he alleged that the recent transfers were not done as per the government order and the process lacked transparency.
Sravan said that although the process of transfers has been completed on June 30, the transfers of Degree College lecturers are still going on in the name of ‘On Duty’. He said so far 142 transfers have been made in the name of ‘On Duty’. He said ‘Inter Zonal Postings’ were done in the name of ‘On Duty’. He said Commissioner of Education and friends of Education Minister were allegedly behind those illegal transfers which include 15 transfers in Karimnagar, 14 in Warangal, 12 in Adilabad, 10 in Khammam, 12 in Mahabubnagar, 8 in Medak, 6 each in Nalgonda and Nizamabad and 4 in Ranga Reddy.
Citing examples, he said a Chemistry lecturer, Venugopal, who works in Vth Zone was transferred to VIth Zone in Mahabubabad. Similarly, Pallavi, a Micro-Biology lecturer was transferred to Hanamkonda from VIth to Vth Zone. D. Swamy and Basha, History and Chemistry lecturers, have been transferred from Vth to Vith Zone. Further, he said the rule for keeping a husband and wife in the same zone has been violated by not giving them ‘Spouse Points’. Almost 400 such cases have been reported in the recent transfers. Citing another example, he said Ashok Mare, a lecturer, has been transferred to Siddipet although his wife is deployed in Jangaon without following the rule of having both the spouse within a radius of 50 km.
Sravan alleged that nearly 50 transfers were cancelled and fresh orders were issued manually to execute illegal posting to others. He said all the claims of State Government of carrying out transfers in a transparent and justifiable manner have proved wrong. Of 75,317 teachers who had applied online for transfers, as many as 31,514 have been transferred. However, by not following the rules, the State Government did total injustice with teachers, especially the couples.
The Congress leader said that the Chief Minister had promised to conduct transfer of teachers every year. However, despite completion of four years, the transfers were not done even once bringing huge frustration for teachers who were waiting for inter-district transfers.
He also reminded that the TRS had promised to regularise the services of contract lectures. However, even after four years in power, it failed to fulfil the promise. Similarly, he said instead of appointing regular lecturers, only guest lectures are being hired. He said several institutions are on the verge of closure due to shortage of teachers.
Sravan, in his letter, urged the Chief Minister to order a high level into the alleged irregularities committed by the Deputy CM and the Commissioner of Collegiate Education. He said corrective measures should also be taken on immediate basis to undo the injustice done with teachers seeking transfers.