Transfer of govt. teachers: Atishi directs Chief Secy. to withdraw order right away

Delhi Education Minister Atishi on Thursday said she has directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to immediately withdraw the transfer order of around 5,000 government school teachers that was issued without her directions.

Delhi Education Minister Atishi on Thursday said she has directed Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar to immediately withdraw the transfer order of around 5,000 government school teachers that was issued without her directions.

Addressing a press conference, Ms. Atishi said, “Contrary to my orders, an order was issued on July 2 transferring nearly 5,000 teachers. I have directed the Chief Secretary to withdraw this order. I have also asked him to conduct an inquiry if there has been any corruption or malpractice.”

A circular titled ‘Online requests for transfer of teaching staff of the Directorate of Education’ was issued by the Education Department on June 11 which directed all teachers who have served for more than 10 years in one school to compulsorily apply for a transfer.

The order also stated that those who fail to apply would be transferred to any school by the Education Department. The new clause was introduced for the first time this year.

The Minister had ordered on July 1 that no teacher should be transferred solely because they have spent more than 10 years in a particular school.

On Wednesday, Ms. Atishi had issued a notice to the Secretary of Education and the Directorate of Education for “disobeying” the Minister’s order, citing Article 239 AA which “gives the Delhi government power to exercise over matters in the Concurrent List”.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government has alleged that Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena ordered the transfer of the teachers in order to disrupt the Delhi government’s ‘education model’.