Aiming to usher in greater transparency, the Punjab cabinet has cleared a transfer policy for teaching staff in government schools that will be implemented from the ensuing academic session.The Transfer Policy 2018, was drafted after detailed deliberations with various stakeholders, including the teachers, school heads, teacher unions and civil societies. The Cabinet agreed to the suggestions of its sub-committee that the transfer policy should be implemented through a computer software and in a transparent manner. It also accepted the suggestion of the sub-committee that the condition that only those male teachers be posted in girls' schools who are above 50 years of age. It also agreed that teachers attaining the age of 56 years as on March 31 of a year may not be posted out.

Highlights:

• Under the new policy, all schools would be divided into five zones depending upon the distance from the district headquarters and other parameters.
• General transfers would be made only once a year, and the notification for the possible vacancies would be made available on the department's website by January 15th every year.
• As per the policy, every teacher will be compulsorily transferred after completing seven years, and no teacher would be able to make a request for transfer before three years.
• Further, an objective criterion, by assigning marks to the teachers seeking transfer, has been provided in the policy.