55 high school assistant teachers transferred to non-teaching posts illegally, allege SDMCs, stakeholders

As the transfer process of government primary and high school teachers is under way, the State government has transferred 55 assistant teachers working in various government high schools to non-teaching posts.

With the approval of Chief Minister, the transfer order was issued by the Under Secretary of the Department of School Education and Literacy (High School) on August 20, 2025.

However, teachers, School Development and Monitoring Committees (SDMCs), and other stakeholders have opposed this transfer, alleging that some teachers have illegally obtained transfers through the Chief Minister’s office using political influence while the teacher transfer process is under way. “There is a possibility of massive corruption behind this,” they alleged.

As per the Karnataka State Civil Services (Regulation of Transfer of Teachers) Act-2020, the government or the Department of School Education and Literacy (DSEL) cannot transfer any teacher through other channels during the transfer process.

In addition, to prevent the illegal transfer of teachers to their preferred posts and places of convenience through political influences, the State government has restricted posting of teachers to non-teaching posts.

In 2017, the High Court too had issued an order not to appoint teachers to non-teaching jobs, and in 2021 it had issued a notice to the State government which had deputed and transferred teachers to non-teaching posts.

Almost all the transferred teachers have been appointed to non-teaching posts. Many teachers have been transferred to the posts of Librarians, Technical Assistants and Programme Assistants in District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs).

Teachers have expressed their dissatisfaction that the Chief Minister himself has transferred high school assistant teachers to non-teaching posts when there is a shortage of teachers in high schools in the State. The State government has appointed around 9,000 guest teachers. In addition, the results in the SSLC examination have declined for the last two years, and the Chief Minister has ordered the officials not to give any grace marks to the students and pass them, and take necessary steps to record at least 75% results in the SSLC annual examination-1.

It is inexcusable that the government, disregarding any of this, has again transferred high school assistant teachers to non-teaching posts. If those with influence take the transfer but do not have eligibility, what will happen to the rest?” questioned the headmaster of a government high school in Bengaluru.

Umesh G. Gangavadi, State President of SDMC, said, “It is not right for the government to bow to pressure from influential people and transfer teachers to non-teaching posts. This is also a violation of the Teachers Transfer Act.” In the interest of high school children, the order of transferring teachers to non-teaching posts should be withdrawn immediately, he urged.