“It has been done through the approval of the administrative department”
K Koushal
The Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has run into major controversy following allegations of executing clandestine, mid-session transfer orders for roughly 49 masters, bypassing the mandatory Annual Transfer Drive (ATD) framework and established government transfer policies.
According to highly placed sources, DSEK has issued transfer list of masters in alleged violation of set guidelines and rules.
“Unlike standard transparent transfer protocols where consolidated lists are made public, the Directorate has issued individual transfer orders under wraps,” said sources, adding that no consolidated transfer list was made accessible to the public or the teaching community, allegedly to suppress scrutiny, allowing 49 individual orders to slip through quietly.
Sources said that the Annual Transfer Drive (ATD), a digital, rule-based system intended to eliminate human bias and corruption, was entirely bypassed to accommodate individual requests outside the legal window.
“The orders cite no recognized transfer policy provisions or exigencies to justify the irregular reshuffle,” asserted sources, adding that the mass relocation took place right in the middle of the academic session, directly flouting government guidelines that prohibit mid-term transfers to preserve academic continuity.
They also revealed that multiple masters transferred under this batch had barely served a single year—or in some cases, just a few months—at their existing places of posting, undermining the standard two-to-three-year minimum tenure rule.
“Prime postings of choice were doled out to well-connected officials and close relatives, including nephews of influential figures within the administrative ecosystem,” alleged sources, adding that the clandestine reshuffle has triggered frustration among educators who have adhered strictly to ATD rules, waited out rigorous tenures in remote areas, or pursued legitimate grievances through legal forums like the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT).
Meanwhile, score of aggrieved candidates highlighted that while genuine representations forwarded by administrative authorities remain stalled, preferential orders were cleared overnight through back channels.
They have urged the administrative department to intervene immediately, place all 49 transfer orders in abeyance, and initiate an impartial vigilance probe into how such mid-session, out-of-turn postings were sanctioned at the cost of administrative integrity.
Talking to The Typewriter, Director School Education Kashmir, Naseer Ahmed Wani dismissed allegations of circumventing the system or favoring relatives, asserting that proper protocol was strictly maintained.
”It has been done through the approval of the administrative department,” the Director clarified, pointing out that while the competence to transfer masters rests with the directorate, necessary sanctions and approvals were routed through the Administrative Department.
Reacting specifically to claims regarding premature transfers of close relatives and associates, the Director said, ”Those are non-serious people who talk about such things. Otherwise, they are all done through the proper approval.”
When tried to contact Commissioner/Secretary, Ram Niwas Sharma (IAS), Commissioner/Secretary to the Government for the School Education Department in Jammu and Kashmir, he was not available for comments.
