Gurgaon: Punjab and Haryana high court has allowed the state govt to frame a fresh policy about school teachers.Disposing of a batch of petitions — filed by junior basic training (JBT) teachers challenging Haryana’s cadre change policy linked to the transfer system — the bench of Justice Ashwani Kumar Mishra and Justice Rohit Kapoor, on May 25, made it clear that the concerns raised by teachers regarding the legality of the same — including claims of discrimination — must be taken into account by the state while framing a revised policy.Under the cadre change policy, teachers could be shifted across cadres during transfers, a move that many petitioners argued was arbitrary and could affect their job security, seniority and working conditions. Several teachers also raised concerns about possible gender discrimination and lack of transparency in how cadre changes were being implemented.The order stops short of striking down or upholding the existing policy. Instead, it puts the responsibility on the govt to revisit and improve it. Legal observers say this approach ensures administrative flexibility while safeguarding the interests of teachers.The dispute has its roots in Haryana’s recent push to streamline teacher transfers through a centralised system, which included provisions for cadre changes. While the govt aimed to bring efficiency and uniformity, many teachers felt the policy created confusion and could lead to unfair outcomes.The court noted that a similar challenge to the model transfer policy was already decided earlier in May 2026 in a lead case. In that order, the court gave liberty to Haryana govt to formulate an appropriate policy. Following the same reasoning, the bench disposed of the current batch of petitions, stating that these would be governed by the earlier order.With the court now directing a reconsideration, teachers’ groups are expected to demand consultations and clearer guidelines before a new policy is introduced. The HC also disposed of all pending applications related to the matter along with the main petitions.
