Bihar Teacher Transfer Update: Over 33,000 Applications in 8 Days!

Just days after the Bihar government opened a new chance for teachers to request transfers due to pressing issues, more than 33,000 applications have come in. And this number might continue to grow! Earlier, over 2.6 lakh requests were received before the last transfer policy was put on hold.

The education department had asked teachers to fill out fresh applications from December 1 to December 15. Many teachers were unhappy with the previous rules that stopped all transfers, so this new option is a relief. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar announced earlier that teachers who were hired since 2006 through local bodies would stay in their current jobs, even after becoming government employees through competency tests.

According to Additional Chief Secretary S. Siddharth, there are 545,182 teachers, and as of December 8, 33,227 applications for transfers had been received. Last time, there were more than 2.6 lakh applications submitted.

When it comes to priority for transfers, teachers with serious health issues are at the top of the list. There are 163 applications from teachers with incurable diseases like cancer, 456 from those with critical illnesses, 1,522 from specially-abled teachers, and 290 from teachers with autism or mental disabilities. There are also 216 applications from widowed or divorced teachers, and 2,919 petitions from teachers whose spouses are working in different places.

The most significant number—27,661 teachers—are asking for transfers because their work locations are too far from where they want to be. Siddharth assured that all requests would be reviewed based on these priorities.

The transfer process will start after the application period ends, and the goal is to assist the teachers who need transfers the most. Siddharth believes they won’t see a big change in the number of applications in the next few days, and that the process can be efficiently managed with the right software. This new transfer and posting policy for school teachers in Bihar was finally revealed in October after being delayed for many years