Examiner News Desk | Srinagar:
The Jammu and Kashmir School Education Department has placed its draft Transfer Policy-2026 in the public domain, proposing a comprehensive zone-based tenure system, an online point-based transfer mechanism and special provisions for employees serving in difficult and inaccessible areas.
The department has invited comments, suggestions and objections from stakeholders and members of the public within 15 days, as part of the process of finalising the proposed policy.
The draft policy would cover teachers, masters, lecturers, headmasters, principals, Zonal Education Officers (ZEOs), Chief Education Officers (CEOs) and equivalent posts serving under the School Education Department.
A key feature of the proposed framework is the creation of an updated electronic database containing employees’ posting history, tenure and transfer records. Transfers would ordinarily be processed through an online portal, with the department seeking to make the system more transparent, objective and less dependent on discretionary decisions.
Under the proposed system, schools and educational institutions would be classified into five zones based on their location, accessibility and distance from district headquarters.
Employees posted in Zones I, II and III would ordinarily have a three-year tenure at a particular institution, while the prescribed tenure would be two years in Zone IV and one year in Zone V.
Employees who voluntarily opt to continue in Zones III, IV or V could be permitted to remain beyond the prescribed tenure, subject to administrative requirements.
The draft gives particular emphasis to Zone V, comprising notified inaccessible areas of the Union Territory. Employees completing the prescribed tenure in Zone V would become due for immediate rotation outside the zone and would have preferential consideration for suitable vacancies in Zones I or II, subject to administrative requirements.
The proposed policy seeks to ensure adequate staffing in difficult and remote areas by providing for the deployment and rotation of employees in such locations.
Newly appointed employees would, as far as practicable, be posted in Zones III, IV and V. Employees promoted to higher posts could also be considered for placement in these zones.
Administrative officers, including CEOs, principals, headmasters and ZEOs, would ordinarily have a two-year tenure at a station, which could be extended up to three years depending on administrative requirements.
For annual transfers, the department has proposed a Transfer Assessment Matrix under which employees would be awarded points based on factors including service in inaccessible areas, age, social circumstances, benchmark disability, spouse’s government posting, awards, academic performance, serious illness and proximity to retirement.
Service in Zone V would carry four points for every completed year, subject to a maximum of 24 points, while service in Zone IV would carry two points per year, up to a maximum of 10 points.
Employees aged 55 years or above would receive eight points, while serious illness requiring continued medical supervision would carry 10 points.
The proposed system is intended to provide an objective basis for assessing transfer preferences while giving greater weight to employees who have served for extended periods in difficult areas or have specific personal or social circumstances.
The draft provides for general, mutual, administrative, compassionate and priority transfers, besides special rotational transfers for employees serving in difficult and remote areas.
Mutual transfers would be permitted between employees belonging to the same cadre and holding comparable posts, subject to prescribed conditions and approval by the competent authority.
Special consideration has also been proposed for employees nearing retirement, those aged 58 years and above, single parents, widows, divorcees, female employees, persons with benchmark disabilities and employees whose spouses are serving in government departments.
Employees due to retire within six months would preferably be posted near their place of residence. Those aged 58 years or above would ordinarily not be posted to Zones IV or V, except in compelling administrative circumstances.
The draft also provides for inter-cadre transfers in exceptional circumstances related to medical conditions, security concerns and marriage.
Such transfers would be subject to prescribed conditions, including minimum service requirements and recommendations of a designated committee.
Employees transferred under these provisions would retain their lien, seniority and promotional prospects in their parent cadre.
The annual transfer exercise is proposed to be conducted after completion of the academic session.
Under the indicative schedule, vacancies would be published in April, while employees would submit applications and preferences in May. Provisional and final merit lists would be published in June, followed by issuance of transfer orders during June-July.
However, transfers during the academic session would remain possible in exceptional circumstances, including subject-specific requirements, teacher performance, school results, enrolment patterns, staff imbalances and manpower rationalisation.
The competent authority could also defer or modify a transfer if it is likely to adversely affect academic outcomes or public examinations.
Five-Zone Criteria
The draft defines Zone I as institutions located within municipal limits of district headquarters.
Zone II would comprise institutions located up to 20 kilometres from district headquarters, while Zone III would cover institutions located beyond 20 kilometres and up to 40 kilometres.
Zone IV would include institutions located beyond 40 kilometres where a change of residence is required. It would also cover schools without motorable road connectivity where the one-way walking distance from the nearest motorable road is seven kilometres or more.
Zone V would comprise notified inaccessible areas.
Areas Proposed Under Zone V
The proposed Zone V classification includes several remote areas across Jammu and Kashmir.
In Kishtwar district, the areas include Marwah, Dachhan, Warwan and Paddar. In Reasi, Mahore and Chassana have been proposed, while Khwass in Rajouri, Malhar and Bani in Kathua, Bhaleesa in Doda and Gool and Khari in Ramban are also listed.
In Kashmir, the proposed Zone V areas include Karnah, Keran, Kralpora, Kupwara, Machil and Trehgam in Kupwara district. Gurez in Bandipora and Aishmuqam in Anantnag have also been included, along with Uri in Baramulla.
The proposed policy also envisages a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism at the institutional, district and Union Territory levels.
Employees would first be required to approach the lowest competent authority with their grievances. Cases that remain unresolved could subsequently be escalated to higher authorities.
The draft proposes that representations should, as far as practicable, be disposed of within 15 days.
By placing the draft Transfer Policy-2026 in the public domain, the School Education Department has opened the proposed framework to feedback from stakeholders, employees and members of the public.
The department has invited comments, suggestions and objections within 15 days, after which the feedback is expected to be examined before the policy is finalised.
The proposed framework seeks to make transfers more transparent, predictable and data-driven while ensuring equitable distribution of teaching staff, protecting employees with genuine special circumstances and encouraging greater staffing stability in remote and inaccessible areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
