In Bengal colleges, divorced or widowed women teachers to get preference in transfers

Any employee who is to be superannuated within three years from the date of application is also given preference

West Bengal has widened the grounds for women teachers in government-aided colleges to seek transfers by including issues like gynaecological health and marital status as reasons for moving out of the locations they are serving in.

According to a new order, issued earlier this month, any female teacher facing “serious gynaecological disorder” or “facing serious problem in attending college because of desertion, divorce or death of husband” will be given preference when it comes to transfers. Preference will also be given to women if they have children; they will have a stronger case if the child is less than 10 years old.

The grounds have been gender-neutral when it comes to serious ailments of employee or family members – malignant diseases, severe heart diseases, renal failure, ​thalassemia, organ replacement, and physical disablement of 40%. Any employee who is to be superannuated within three years from the date of application is also given preference.

‘Female teachers are home makers’

“Due weightage to women’s issues is welcome so that female teachers can serve the house and workplace suitably. Female teachers are homemakers, which is the basic structure of our society. A transparent system of self-seeking transfer procedures will help everyone involved in the system. Vacancies should be filled up with utmost urgency,” said Jaydeep Sarangi, Principal of Kolkata’s New Alipore College

Dr. Arunima Roychoudhuri, who teaches history at Sundarban Mahavidyalaya in Kakdwip, said, “Personally, I would like to thank the government for its concern about working females. But I think transfer should be made on the basis of the length of service life and obviously on the basis of distance between the workplaces of both the spouses. In this context I think equal opportunity should be given to both males and females. For a child, mother is important undoubtedly, but so is the father.”

‘Years should be considered’

Many teachers feel that the years put in service should also be given weightage when deciding on transfer because there is a large number of both male and female teachers who have lived away from their families or travelled for over four hours each day for more than 20 years.

Asim Mondal, associate professor of English at the Ramakrishna Mission Residential College in Narendrapur, said the State Government had shown sensitivity by including new grounds in favour of women. “Not only will female teachers suffering from medical issues get preference when seeking transfer, I would say the government has also shown sensitivity by giving consideration to women divorced and widowed. This will give a good vibe to lady teachers working in stress,” Prof. Mondal said.

Published - September 24, 2024 07:26 am IST