HC orders inter-district transfer of teachers

The Gujarat high court on Wednesday pulled up the state education department for misinterpreting word 'vibhag' as medium and not division and ordered the director of primary education to act on inter-district transfer applications made by two primary teachers.

Bhavin Patel an English medium teacher from Kubernagar English School and Prachi Korjani who teaches English in a Gujarati medium school in Bordi village in Kheda, had in July last year sought a mutual inter-district transfer at a camp.

Both were denied transfer on grounds that the mediums of their teaching are different and rules say mutual transfer cannot be made in different 'vibhag', which means medium. Both teachers moved the HC and Patel said that though he teaches in English medium school, he also teaches Gujarati his mother tongue.

Korjani submitted that she graduated with english literature and was competent to teach in the chool. After hearing the arguments, Justice J B Pardiwala told the authorities that word 'vibhag' means division and refers to primary and upper primary sections and not medium of instruction and ordered them to take decision on the transfer within a week.