Srinagar, Jun 28: In a significant development, the School Education Department (SED) is set to roll out the Annual Transfer Drive (ATD)-2026 for its entire teaching fraternity.
The development marks the third consecutive implementation of the department’s “structured transfer mechanism” after its successful execution in 2023 and 2024.
As part of the exercise, the department has placed the Draft Transfer Policy-2026 in the public domain for a period of 15 days, inviting comments, suggestions and objections from stakeholders and the general public before its final notification.
The draft policy has also been uploaded on the official websites of the School Education Department, ensuring transparency and public participation in policy formulation.
“The proposed policy seeks to establish a transparent, fair and accountable framework for transfers and postings of teachers, masters, lecturers, headmasters, principals, Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs), Chief Education Officers (CEOs) and equivalent officers across Jammu and Kashmir,” reads the draft proposal of the policy.
“It emphasises equitable deployment of staff, particularly in remote and underserved areas, while ensuring uninterrupted academic functioning and prioritising students’ interests.”
According to the draft, transfers will ordinarily be processed through a dedicated Online Transfer Portal, with the annual transfer schedule to be completed before the commencement of each academic session.
The draft however, reads that offline transfers may also be carried out in exceptional administrative circumstances with the approval of the competent authority.
The policy introduces a zonal tenure system by classifying schools into five zones based on accessibility.
“Employees posted in Zones I, II and III will ordinarily serve three years in a school, while those in Zones IV and V will have tenures of two years and one year respectively,” it reads.
“Staff completing service in inaccessible Zone-V areas will receive preference for postings in more accessible locations.”
To address staffing imbalances, the policy provides for the rationalisation and redeployment of surplus staff based on pupil-teacher ratios, enrolment, subject requirements and institutional needs.
It also stipulates that no rationalisation exercise should completely deplete teaching staff from any institution or adversely affect classroom instruction.
The draft identifies five categories of transfers—general, mutual, administrative, compassionate and special rotational transfers as well.
“Compassionate transfers may be considered in cases involving severe medical conditions, benchmark disabilities, widowhood, safety concerns and other humanitarian grounds, subject to documentary verification,” it reads.
Special provisions have also been proposed for government-employed spouses, employees nearing retirement, women employees, single parents, widows, divorcees and persons with benchmark disabilities.
“Employees aged 58 years and above would ordinarily not be posted to the most difficult Zones IV and V, while inter-cadre transfers have been provided for under specified conditions, including marriage and exceptional medical or security grounds.
As per the draft policy, a Transfer Assessment Matrix (TAM), an online point-based merit system has been introduced that assigns weightage for service in difficult areas, age, disability, spouse posting, outstanding academic performance, teacher awards, serious illness, retirement proximity and caregiving responsibilities to determine transfer priority objectively.
The draft further lays down an indicative annual transfer calendar, with publication of vacancies in April, submission of applications in May, publication of merit lists and disposal of representations in June, followed by issuance of transfer orders during June and July.
The policy also proposes a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism at the institutional, district and Union Territory levels to ensure timely disposal of transfer-related complaints, with representations to be ordinarily decided within 15 days.
However, the proposed policy will not apply to Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) and RegularisedRehbar-e-Taleem (RReT) teachers, whose appointments are school-specific, unless separate government orders are issued.
An official said the ATD has been reintroduced after the successful implementation of similar exercises in 2023 and 2024, with the objective of making teacher transfers more transparent, equitable and technology-driven while strengthening accountability in the SED.
