Teacher Transfer: The West Bengal School Education Department issued a significant new guideline on June 17, 2025, concerning the online mutual transfer process for teachers in Utsashree Portal. This guideline applies to both primary and secondary level teachers and aims to resolve various issues encountered during the application process. Let’s explore the key aspects of this new directive in detail.
New Rules for Unlocking Applications
Teachers often face situations where their transfer applications get stuck due to technical or procedural hurdles. The new guideline introduces crucial measures to resolve these deadlocks:
- If a teacher has sent a transfer request that has not been accepted by the partner teacher, the DPSC (for primary teachers) or DI (for secondary teachers) can now reject the request and unlock the applicant’s profile. This allows the teacher to initiate a new application.
- Even if a joint application has been submitted, it can be unlocked as long as the final transfer order or recommendation letter has not been issued.
Designated Authorities for Unlocking Applications
The responsibility for unlocking applications has been assigned to specific authorities to streamline the process:
- For Primary Teachers: The District Primary School Council (DPSC) will handle unlocking for transfers within the same district, while the West Bengal Board of Primary Education will manage inter-district transfer applications.
- For Secondary Teachers and Staff: The Central School Service Commission will oversee the unlocking process, provided no recommendation or transfer order has been generated.
Additional Requirement for Primary Teachers
When applying for a mutual transfer, primary teachers are now required to upload a copy of the confirmation order issued by the DPSC as part of their online application.
New Policy on Blocked Vacancies
Previously, a vacancy would remain blocked if a teacher failed to join after a transfer order was issued. The Board of Secondary Education (Madhyamik Shiksha Parshad) is now empowered to unblock these posts. The status of these unblocked vacancies will be determined based on the current needs of the school.
Good News for General Transfer Applicants
Teachers and non-teaching staff who have a pending general transfer application can now cancel it to apply for a mutual transfer, on the condition that a recommendation or transfer order has not already been issued. This is a significant update, as it provides flexibility to many educators who were previously unable to apply for mutual transfers due to an existing general transfer request.
These new guidelines are set to make the teacher transfer process in West Bengal more transparent, efficient, and dynamic. It is anticipated that this will reduce administrative hassles for teachers and enable them to secure transfers to their preferred schools with greater ease.
