Staff reporter
Guwahati: The Department of School Education has released the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the online transfer of teachers for the year 2025. The online application process has commenced and will remain open until April 30. The SOP outlines comprehensive guidelines for inter-district transfers of teachers across Assam.
As per the SOP, teachers posted in schools where there is a mismatch in the medium of instruction and/or language of appointment may be considered for transfer even if they have not completed the mandatory 10 years of service in that district. Similarly, teachers serving in difficult areas away from their home for less than 10 years may be eligible for intra-district transfers. Teachers applying for transfers—whether inter- or intra-district—shall not be subjected to rationalization until their transfer requests are resolved. Once a teacher is transferred, either through a mutual or single application, they will not be eligible for another transfer for a minimum of two years.
The SOP further mentions that teachers or their family members suffering from life-threatening diseases that require frequent and specialized medical attention may have their cases considered by the State Level Committee (SLC), even if the teacher has not completed 10 years in the current district.
The document also emphasizes that while the overall Pupil-Teacher Ratio (PTR) for Secondary Schools is 40:1, subject-wise PTR at the district level should be taken into account during transfers and rationalizations. In Upper Primary schools, single transfers of subject-specific teachers such as Science/Maths graduate teachers, Hindi teachers, or Classical language teachers (Sanskrit, Arabic, etc.) will not be allowed.
Teachers serving as in-charge principals or head teachers cannot be transferred or rationalized without prior approval from the appointing authority. Teachers belonging to the tea-tribe community and working in tea garden areas should not be transferred.
In the case of inter-district single transfers, the transfer can only take place from a Low PTR district to a High PTR district, ensuring that the PTR of the source district is not adversely affected. No single transfer will be allowed from a High PTR to a Low PTR district. All decisions will be based on the latest teacher position and PTR data available on the Shiksha Setu portal.
If two or more applicants are found equally eligible based on the given criteria and preferences, a lottery system will be implemented to decide the outcome. This process will be conducted in the presence of the applicants, either virtually or physically.
The SOP aims to streamline the transfer process while maintaining educational balance and teacher distribution across the state.
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