The State Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities has stayed the transfer of differently abled higher secondary education (HSE) schoolteachers who are on the modified provisional general transfer list published recently.
The commissioner has also directed the Director of Higher Secondary Education to take steps to protect their rights.
A number of teachers had approached the commission pointing out that they had been transferred over 300 km away to the northern districts of the State, and that their ranks included those with 90 per cent visual impairment.
The direction says that as per a Government Order issued in February this year, the differently abled should be given priority while effecting transfer of government employees. However, another amended order issued in August says that the differently abled should be given protection for 5 years and only if those with disability above 60 per cent sought a transfer should it be effected. However, these orders had been violated with the recent transfer list, including those with 90 per cent disability.
The commission said that the approach of the Higher Secondary Director towards the differently abled needed to change.
Staying the transfer of the differently abled, the commission directed the Higher Secondary Director to take a relook at the transfer. If a teacher with over 60 per cent disability had not asked for a transfer, then a teacher who had completed five years could continue at the same school, but if a teacher with over 60 per cent disability had sought a transfer, then steps should be taken to post the thrown out teacher elsewhere in the same district or a nearby district on a priority basis, the commission said.
