ITANAGAR, 20 Sep: The Arunachal Tribal Against Injustice Forum (ATAIF) has condemned the reported "unjust treatment" of a section of teachers who have been included in the recent rationalisation/transfer exercise "despite having genuine grounds that warrant consideration for exemption."
The forum said that it is not against legitimate transfers but against the release order issued to teachers who are not eligible for transfer, or whose claims for exemption have not yet been properly examined.
"Many affected teachers have reportedly submitted representations citing grounds such as non-completion of the mandatory three-year tenure, census duty, BLO duty, and other officially assigned responsibilities. Where such claims are supported by official documents, they deserve proper consideration before any final action is taken," the forum stated in a release.
The most concerning aspect of the present situation, it said, is the reported direction to the DDSEs to release transferred teachers without adequately distinguishing between legitimate transfer cases and teachers whose exemption claims are still pending consideration.
"A teacher who is genuinely eligible for transfer and a teacher who has a valid ground for exemption cannot reasonably be treated identically without examining the facts of their individual cases," it said.
"If a representation has not been examined, how can the teacher's claim for exemption be rejected? If the relevant facts have not been verified, how can the release be treated as final?" the forum demanded to know.
Administrative efficiency should never mean bypassing the genuine grievance of an individual who has approached the competent authority through the prescribed channel, it said.
For an affected teacher, a forced release is not merely a change of workplace. It can create serious professional, personal and family difficulties, particularly where the teacher has legitimate grounds for seeking exemption, the forum added.
"If a teacher is released first and asked to pursue the grievance afterwards, the entire burden of correcting the situation falls upon the individual teacher.
"That cannot be the essence of fair and just administration.
The proper course is simple: hear the representation, verify the supporting documents, determine the eligibility and then take an appropriate decision," it said.
The ATAIF also expressed concern over reported discrepancies in the teachers registry portal (TRP), including reports that the names of already-retired teachers have appeared in transfer-related records.
"If verified, such instances warrant serious scrutiny of the data being relied upon for decisions affecting serving teachers. No teacher should suffer an adverse administrative consequence because of incorrect, incomplete or outdated information in an official digital system," the forum said.
It demanded stopping the blanket approach of releasing all transferred teachers without examining individual exemption claims, and giving every teacher a "genuine and documented ground and a fair opportunity for their representations to be considered."
"Clearly distinguish between teachers eligible for transfer and teachers whose cases require exemption or reconsideration. Verify relevant service records and rectify discrepancies in the TRP before taking consequential action," it said.
It said also that it be ensured that no teacher suffers because of an error in official records or an automated system.
"Ensure that decisions are based on applicable rules, verified records and individual circumstances, rather than merely on blanket release directions," the forum said.