Odisha Govt Grants MPs and MLAs Powers to Recommend Teacher Transfers

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has authorised elected representatives in the state to recommend the transfer of up to 15 primary and secondary school teachers within their respective constituencies, informed by a notification issued by the School and Mass Education(S&ME) Department on Tuesday.

“Government after careful consideration have been pleased to give discretion to Hon’ble MPs/MLAs to recommend upto fifteen (15) most deserving cases of transfer of teachers (that shall include both Elementary & Secondary) pertaining to their constituency area, to the concerned Collector of the District, for disposal of the same by the District Level Transfer Committee (DLTC) during this transfer session,” reads the notification.

However, the state government has laid down certain conditions for the Members of the Legislative Assembly and Members of Parliament.

As per the S&ME department notification, the recommendation should not violate the principle of rationalisation. It also clarified that priority should be given to the teachers with an urgent need.

The government has barred the transfer of teachers from rural areas to urban areas. The government also noted that the elected representatives can only propose the transfer of teachers within the same district.

“This discretion is applicable for intra-district transfer only. The proposals of the Hon’ble MPs/MLAs are to be submitted to the concerned District Collector and will be disposed of by the DLTC. Where the Parliamentary Constituency (PC) covers more than one district, the proposals will be submitted to the Nodal Collector (Returning Officer of that PC) under intimation to the other Collectors within the jurisdiction of that PC for disposal by respective DLTC(s),” added the notification.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha MPs have been suggested to send their list of recommendations to the Director of Secondary Education under intimation to the Director of Elementary Education, which will forward the list to the respective Collectors under intimation to the DEE for disposal of the same by the DLTC(s).

The Odisha government also directed that all the proposals should be submitted and disposed of during this transfer session (15th May to 15th June) only.

The government notified that this provision is a one-time measure, which is applicable only for the current educational year.

–IANS