BANDIPORA, October 16: The transfer application of a female government teacher battling cancer was rejected six times by the Chief Education Officer (CEO), Bandipora, since February, 2025, with her relatives alleging that the repeated rejections and delays added to her distress while she was bravely fighting the deadly disease.
The teacher, whose identity is being withheld, was diagnosed with carcinoma Nasophryrnx in February, 2025 and underwent surgeries and chemotherapy, according to her relatives. They said she had sought a transfer to a nearby school where vacancies were available when she submitted her application.
Her relatives alleged that the application was repeatedly rejected and that the file was not forwarded to the Directorate of School Education Kashmir (DSEK) for consideration. They claimed that vacancies were subsequently filled by other blue-eyed teachers, after which the CEO office cited the absence of available posts as a reason for not approving her request.
“Through these delayed tactics we came to know that the officials at CEO office are so inhumane that to adjust their own favourite teachers they can make a patient suffer more,” her relatives told Kashmir Convener.
They further alleged that the patient teacher was even asked to visit the CEO office in person while undergoing treatment and was reprimanded for submitting a transfer representation.
According to the family, they even proposed a mutual transfer wherein a colleague of her was willing to move to other school to accommodate the teacher at suitable posting but that application was also rejected by CEO Bandipora. They questioned why the case was not referred to the directorate for a decision.
“This made us to believe that either the CEO office officials had been involved in some sort of corruption to adjust blue-eyed persons or had some personal enmity with the patient,” they accused.
The family of teacher said her applications were returned on grounds including failure to follow the prescribed format and other frivolous excuses while she was repeatedly told that the case was being processed under the rules.
The allegations have also raised questions about the handling of other transfer requests. The family claimed that some teachers had been mutually transferred by CEO Bandipora illegally without following any rule and without the approval of the Director of School Education Kashmir.
The issue was also raised by MLA Bandipora Nizamuddin Bhat on social media, where he called for a clear policy governing transfers of employees suffering from cancer and other serious illnesses.
He also sought action against officials allegedly responsible for delays in such cases.
“Any or no policy on Transfers / postings of employees suffering from Cancer!! They are made to harry till many loose the battle. How sad,” Bhat wrote on X. He added that officials who handled such files callously should face proceedings for alleged delay and negligence.
When contacted by Kashmir Convener, the CEO Bandipora Rafiq Ahmad Mir said he was unaware of the specific case and asked for the details to be verified though he has personally marked the applications of the patient for processing as per the set procedure.
“Teacher transfers are now online. We can shift a teacher from one school to another where there is a requirement, depending on the number of teachers and students. Such arrangements may be made for a month or two,” he said.
The CEO maintained that transfers were handled under the prescribed rules through the online system. However, Kashmir Convener has information about other cases in which teachers were allegedly transferred mutually without the Director of School Education Kashmir being informed.
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