Srinagar, April 10: The Director School Education Kashmir (DSEK) has rejected multiple representations filed by teachers seeking continuation of their deployments outside Gurez Valley and directed them to report back to their original places of posting.
In February this year Chief Education Officer Bandipora cancelled the deployment of around 34 teachers originally appointed in Education Zone Gurez but were serving in other zones of the district. The move came after audit observations by the Principal Accountant General (Audit) in August 2025 flagged irregular attachments of teachers from Gurez without formal approvals.
Following the cancellation of the deployments, Aggrieved teachers had approached the Central Administrative Tribunal seeking relief and permission to continue at their current places of deployment, citing health grounds.
However the tribunal last month directed the DSEK to treat the petitions as representations and pass reasoned orders within three weeks.
In compliance to the CAT orders, the DSEK issued multiple orders on April 10, rejecting the claims of at least 10 teachers in their representations and uhold the orders of CEO Bandipora regarding the cancellation of their reployements.
DSEK while rejecting the applications, stated that the applicants were originally appointed under the Rehbar-e-Taleem (ReT) scheme, which is habitation- and school-specific, and does not provide for transfers or continued postings outside the original place of engagement except in limited cases such as mutual transfers.
Director in his order stated that the applicant originally belongs to Gurez Valley and were initially engaged under ReT scheme, specially designed to serve such remote localities and any prolonged absence of teaching staff from such areas adversely impacts the academic functioning of schools and causes hardships to students .
DSEK further observed that, “ReT scheme being habitation/school specific in nature, the provisions of the general transfer policy are not applicable in such cases and the applicants cannot claim a right of transfer or retention at a place outside his original place of engagement as per government rules wherein it has categorically mentioned that such appointees can be considered for transfer only in exceptional cases that too on mutual transfer basis. ”
Director said the department is duty-bound to ensure availability of adequate teaching staff in remote and difficult areas like Gurez where replacement of staff is not feasible and administrative decisions in this regard are guided by larger public interest .
The Directorate observed that prolonged absence of teachers from remote areas like Gurez adversely affects academic functioning and creates difficulties for students. It stated that ensuring adequate staff in such areas remains a priority, as replacement of teaching personnel is not feasible.
While rejecting the applications, the Director said the claim of the applicants is devoid of merit and upheld the order of cancellation of deployment and directed the teachers to report back to their postings at earliest.
Regarding claims made on medical grounds, the Directorate noted that the certificates submitted by the applicants were not issued by designated medical boards as required under existing government rules for considering such cases.
Officials said the department is required to take administrative decisions in the larger public interest, particularly to maintain staff balance in underserved regions. The orders further stated that temporary attachments, even if extended over long periods, do not create any enforceable right for employees to continue at a particular place.
Officials at CEO office Bandipora confirmed that they have received the order and have accordingly directed the concerned zonal officers to ensure compliance of the orders in letter and spirit.
CAT had earlier noted that administrative authorities retain the power to rationalise staff in the interest of maintaining proper functioning of institutions, particularly in underserved and remote areas.
The orders emphasized that temporary attachments or deployments, even if continued for extended periods, do not create any enforceable right in favour of employees to remain posted at a particular place.
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