Rajasthan Third-Grade Teachers’ Transfers: Minister’s Response Sparks Anxiety, Opposition Demands Clarity

Jaipur, Rajasthan: Tensions flared in the Rajasthan Assembly as Education Minister Madan Dilawar and opposition leaders debated the long-pending transfers of over two lakh third-grade teachers. The opposition, led by Tikarama Juli, pressed the government, asking why a clear transfer policy had not yet been implemented more than 14 months into the term.

Minister’s Response Dampens Teachers’ Hopes

During the assembly session, when BJP MLA Govind Prasad raised the issue, Minister Dilawar stated that the administrative reforms department has currently imposed a freeze on all transfers. He added that the education department is in the process of drafting a transparent transfer policy, and until it is formally approved, teachers will have to wait in their current postings. This response left thousands of educators, who have been serving in remote districts far from their home towns, deeply disheartened.

Opposition Highlights Election Promise

Reacting sharply, opposition leader Tikarama Juli reminded the government of its election manifesto promise to introduce a clear transfer policy. He questioned, “Over 14 months have passed, half the term is gone, yet your policy has not moved beyond paperwork. Are you misleading the state’s largest cadre?”

Political Back-and-Forth

Dilawar countered by criticizing the previous Congress government, highlighting that in 2018 his administration executed over 2,200 transfers, whereas no third-grade teacher transfers occurred under Congress. He stressed that inter-district transfers for third-grade teachers lack direct provisions, as such moves could affect seniority. While temporary arrangements had been made in the past, Dilawar emphasized that a permanent transfer policy is the only long-term solution.

A Cadre in Waiting

Rajasthan’s third-grade teachers, numbering over two lakh, include thousands who have been serving hundreds of kilometers away from their home districts for five to ten years. Amid the ongoing political wrangling over transfer policy, it is the teachers who continue to bear the brunt, growing increasingly anxious and disillusioned about when they might return home.