Patna, Oct 7 (PTI) The Bihar government on Monday announced a new policy for transfer and posting of government school teachers in the state, giving priority to those with serious illnesses and disabilities.

All applications for transfers will be received online only, Education Minister Sunil Kumar said while announcing the policy.

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“The new transfer policy will bring uniformity to transfers and postings of teachers of government schools in the state. It will not only provide relief to teachers but will also improve the quality of education,” Kumar said.

The policy gives priority to those teachers with health issues.

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“Teachers who are seriously ill, handicapped, widowed, divorced, living alone, or in a husband-wife teacher pair will get preference during transfers,” the minister said.

The minister said the number of female teachers in any school should not exceed 70.

Teachers must be transferred after every five years of their posting and the department will give 10 options for them to prefer posting locations, ensuring placements in the nearest subdivision or district, he clarified.

The new policy has also cleared the way for the transfer and posting of more than 1.80 lakh teachers who passed competency tests across the state.

The policy does not apply to teachers appointed by local municipal bodies who have not passed the competency test, an exam for educators employed by local bodies in Bihar who want recruitment as government school teachers.

“It will only be applicable to teachers selected through BPSC (Bihar Public Service Commission), government teachers and those who have passed mandatory tests," Kumar said.

A panel has been formed to address complaints over transfer at the district level, he said.

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