Gurgaon: Haryana govt has set up a high-powered committee to review its online teacher transfer policy framework. The committee has been given a deadline of April 17 to submit its report, according to the order — issued from Chandigarh on April 7 — which was signed by chief secretary to Haryana govt Anurag Rastogi.This comes after sharp observations by Punjab and Haryana high court while hearing a batch of writ petitions. Earlier this month, the court, while hearing multiple connected cases, had questioned the rationale behind the existing criteria.The human resources department has now issued the order constituting the committee comprising senior officials including the additional chief secretary (appointments), director generals of higher and secondary education, director of school education and other key officials from finance, prosecution, NIC and allied departments. The director of the human resources department has been designated as the convenor.The panel has been tasked with reviewing the existing provisions of the teacher transfer policy in light of the court’s concerns, recommending suitable modifications, suggesting further changes if required and examining the way forward for ongoing and proposed transfer drives.The HC had earlier noted that the policy appeared “wholly irrational” in assigning 75% weightage solely to the age of an employee while limiting all other factors collectively to 25%. It recorded that although the state had earlier assured a relook at the issue, the explanatory material later placed on record failed to satisfactorily address these concerns.The HC — while hearing the petitions including Vinod Kumar and another vs State of Haryana and others — emphasised that while the state has the prerogative to frame transfer policies, these must rest on rational and balanced considerations.It highlighted widely accepted parameters in transfer frameworks such as length of stay at a station, spouse postings, medical conditions, nearing retirement and administrative needs, indicating that overreliance on age as a dominant factor may not be justified.The Haryana online transfer policy, implemented through an online system in recent years, is a points-based mechanism designed to bring transparency and reduce discretion in postings of school teachers across the state. Under the system, teachers apply for transfers through a digital portal and are allotted stations based on a score derived from various criteria such as age, tenure at current posting, hardship categories and other service-related factors. The policy plays a crucial role in ensuring equitable distribution of teachers between urban and rural schools, addressing vacancies and managing staff requirements in govt schools.
