The new rationalisation policy introduced by Karnataka government in the appointment and transfer policy of the teachers in schools from primary to higher secondary would be both a boon and a curse for the educationally backward Kalyana Karnataka region.
As per the Additional Commissioner of Public Instructions estimation, the Kalyana Karnataka region is likely to lose nearly 12,000 teachers both in the primary and higher secondary government schools after the introduction of the rationalisation policy which strictly follows the 1:30 teacher-student ratio in the class rooms in both the primary and higher secondary government schools.
Official sources told The Hindu in Kalaburagi city on Saturday that the present strength of the teachers in the government schools in the Kalyana Karnataka region was 57,516 which included 45,985 primary school teachers and 11,531 higher secondary school teachers. Of this, 14,042 primary school teacher posts and 1,980 higher secondary teachers post were vacant.
However, the present teacher-student ratio, according to the government figures teacher student ratio of the total sanctioned teachers posts was 1:21 and ratio of the existing working strength of teachers in the government schools is 1:30.
As per the new rationalisation policy adopted by the government, the teacher strength for the government schools in the Kalyana Karnataka region has been fixed at 45,117 which converted into teacher-student ratio turns out to be 1:27, providing more elbow room to meet the requirement of maintaining the ratio even if there is a slight increase in the intake of the students in the coming years.
Significant change
In another significant change in the policy of appointment and transfer of the teachers, the new rationalisation policy has put a hold on the inter-district transfer of the teachers. The inter-district transfer of the teachers, particularly those appointed fresh from other districts to their parent districts from the place of appointment in Kalyana Karnataka region had been one of the major reasons for the high number of vacancies. Henceforth, the teachers recruited in Kalyana Karnataka districts would have to work in the districts where they are appointed and the transfers if any would be within the district and not inter-district.
However, the official sources said that this policy would be revised once in two years when the situation of the increase and decrease in the student strength in the government schools would be taken into account and accordingly a decision on increasing or decreasing the teachers strength would be taken. The government would also consider the requests for inter-district transfer in special cases during the review once in two years and no mass inter-district transfer would be allowed.
Teacher strength
Following is the district wise data of the existing working strength of the teachers, sanctioned posts and the proposed teacher strength in the government schools after the rationalisation. Kalaburagi district: Present working strength of teachers: 9,550, Sanctioned posts: 12,734; Proposed teacher strength after rationalisation: 9,305.
Bidar district: Present working strength of teachers: 1,675, Sanctioned posts: 7801. Proposed teacher strength after rationalisation 5,637
Raichur district: Present working strength: 6,298, Sanctioned posts: 10,570, proposed teacher strength after rationalisation: 8,425
Koppal district: Present working strength: 5590, Sanctioned Posts: 7665, proposed teacher strength after rationalisation: 6,309.
Ballari district: present working strength: 8,638, sanctioned posts: 11,985, proposed teacher strength after rationatinalisation: 9,833, Yadgir district: present working strength: 4,175, sanctioned posts: 6,761, proposed teacher strength after rationalization: 5,608.
