Annual Transfer Drive, Zone-Based Tenure and Priority Provisions Introduced; Gurez, Aishmuqam, Uri Among Difficult Areas
Srinagar, August 20: The Government of Jammu and Kashmir’s School Education Department has notified a comprehensive Transfer Policy for employees of the School Education Department, aimed at bringing greater transparency, accountability and objectivity to transfers and postings.
The policy has been issued through Government Order No. 335-JK(Edu) of 2026 dated August 20, 2026, by the School Education Department. The order has been signed by Ram Niwas Sharma, IAS, Commissioner/Secretary to the Government, School Education Department.
The new policy will govern transfers and postings of Teachers, Masters, Lecturers, Headmasters, Principals, Zonal Education Officers, Chief Education Officers and equivalent personnel serving under the School Education Department.
Five-Zone Transfer Framework
Under the policy, educational institutions have been grouped into five broader Annual Transfer Drive (ATD) Zones — Zone-I, Zone-II, Zone-III, Zone-IV and Zone-V, with Zone-V designated as the difficult-area category.
Employees posted in Zone-I, Zone-II and Zone-III will ordinarily have a tenure of three years at a particular institution, while employees posted in Zone-IV and Zone-V will ordinarily serve for two years and one year respectively.
The policy further provides that employees serving in Zone-V who complete the prescribed tenure shall ordinarily be relieved for further posting, with completion of Zone-V tenure also providing a preferential claim for consideration against suitable vacancies in Zones-I or II, subject to administrative requirements.
Transfers to Be Processed Through Online Portal
The department has provided that transfers and postings shall ordinarily be processed through the designated Online Transfer Portal. The Directorates will maintain updated electronic databases containing posting history, tenure, service particulars and transfer records to facilitate transparent implementation of the policy.
The policy also provides for general, mutual, administrative, compassionate/priority and special rotation transfers.
Under the compassionate and priority category, deserving cases involving serious medical conditions, benchmark disabilities, single parents, widows, security concerns and other exceptional humanitarian circumstances may be considered, subject to documentary evidence, verification and approval by the competent authority.
Special Consideration for Employees Facing Hardship
The policy contains special provisions for employees with particular family or personal circumstances. Where both spouses are government employees, efforts may be made to post them suitably or within reasonable proximity, subject to availability of posts.
Employees due to retire within one year may preferably be posted near their residence. Employees aged 58 years and above will ordinarily not be posted to Zone-IV or Zone-V, except where required due to compelling administrative considerations.
Due consideration has also been provided to single parents, widows, divorcees, female employees and employees having children with benchmark disabilities. Employees with benchmark disabilities may also be considered for convenient postings, subject to administrative feasibility and availability of vacancies.
Medical and Security Grounds for Mid-Term Transfers
The policy allows the Administrative Department to consider inter-cadre or mid-term transfers on exceptional medical or security-related grounds involving an employee, spouse or dependent children.
For medical cases, eligibility includes a life-threatening or chronic debilitating illness or disability of not less than 40 per cent affecting the employee, spouse or dependent child. Such cases are required to be supported by a medical certificate issued by the Standing Medical Board.
Security-related cases require recommendations from the Special Director General CID Wing.
Annual Transfer Calendar
The policy lays down an indicative annual transfer schedule. Publication of anticipated vacancies and transfer-related notifications is scheduled for April/October, followed by submission of applications and posting preferences in May/November.
Provisional eligibility and merit lists are to be published in June/December, while examination and disposal of representations will follow in June/January. Transfer and posting orders are scheduled for June-July/January-February.
The Administrative Department, however, may revise these timelines for academic requirements, administrative considerations, judicial directions or other circumstances warranting modification.
Point-Based Transfer Assessment
A key feature of the new policy is an online, point-based Transfer Assessment Matrix intended to ensure fair and transparent determination of transfer priorities.
Employees serving in Zone-V will receive 5 points for completing the prescribed tenure, followed by additional points for service beyond the mandatory tenure. Employees completing service in Zone-IV will also receive points based on their tenure.
The matrix also provides points for categories including employees aged 55 years and above, female employees who are widowed/divorced/single parents, persons with benchmark disabilities, spouses serving in government and posted in the same district, recipients of recognised teacher awards, exceptional academic performance, serious illness and employees due to retire within one year.
Zone-V Areas Identified Across J&K
Annexure-B of the order identifies the criteria for all five zones. Zone-I comprises institutions within municipal limits of district headquarters, while Zone-II covers institutions outside municipal limits and up to 20 kilometres from the district headquarters.
Zone-III covers institutions beyond 20 kilometres and up to 40 kilometres, while Zone-IV covers institutions beyond 40 kilometres from district headquarters and requiring a change of residence.
The difficult Zone-V areas include Marwah, Dachhan and Warwan in Kishtwar; Mahore and Chassana in Reasi; Khawas in Rajouri; Malhar and Bani in Kathua; Bhallessa in Doda; Gool and Khari in Ramban; Karnah, Kralpora, Kupwara, Machil and Trehgam in Kupwara; Gurez in Bandipora; Aishmuqam in Anantnag; and Uri in Baramulla.
Grievance Redressal Mechanism
The new policy also establishes a three-tier grievance redressal mechanism at the institutional, district and Union Territory levels.
Employees aggrieved by any decision or action under the policy may submit representations before the appropriate forum. Grievances are to ordinarily be examined at the lowest competent level before escalation to the next level.
The policy states that representations should, as far as practicable, be disposed of within 15 days of receipt, with decisions communicated to the concerned employee through the prescribed mode. The decision of the Union Territory-level Transfer Review Committee will ordinarily be final, subject to statutory remedies available under law.
The Government has stated that the overall objective of the policy is to ensure balanced deployment of human resources, equitable distribution of staff, efficient administration and uninterrupted academic functioning, particularly in remote and underserved areas.(KNC)
