Times of India
[ MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2002 11:00:23 PM ]
NEW DELHI: Coming down heavily on Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan for transferring a teacher in violation of guidelines, the Central Administrative Tribunal has directed the key officers of the Sangathan to pay a fine of Rs 10,000 to the teacher.
The special court has also directed the ministry of human resource development to inquire into the matter, fix responsibility and take action against the officer who filed a false affidavit against the teacher.
The Sangathan had, starting last year, transferred thousands of teachers out of Delhi under its transfer guidelines. The move had led to protests by teachers.
Ratna Varshney, working as trained graduate teacher in the Pragati Vihar branch since 1973, was transferred to Alwar (Rajasthan) in June 2000. Varshney challenged this. Barely two months later, she was promoted and transferred to Kalpakkam (Tamil Nadu). She again made a representation which was rejected.
KVS transfer guidelines specify that vacancies shall be created to accommodate a teacher who has either stayed in a hard stations, stations not of choice, or certain other conditions. In such a case, teachers who have stayed longest at a station, and not less than five years, would be the first to be shifted.
Varshney had contended that she had a heart ailment and that treatment was not available in Alwar. The tribunal directed the Sanganthan to constitute a medical committee for examination. This was not done as per rules, the tribunal noted.
The KVS had also contended that Alwar was not the chosen station for the present contender. ‘‘The KVS have filed a false affidavit which shows their casualness and utter disrespect of the court’s order,’’ the CAT said, directing KVS to pay the compensation within three months of the order.