Patna: The Bihar government has unveiled a plan to redeploy more than one lakh surplus teachers from government primary schools to Bal Vatika (preschool), Anganwadi centres and schools facing teacher shortages. Education Minister Mithilesh Tiwari announced that the initiative will be carried out through a voluntary transfer process.
According to the minister, the move is intended to address the uneven distribution of teachers across the state’s schools while ensuring adequate staffing in areas where vacancies continue to affect classroom teaching.
Over One Lakh Teachers Identified As Surplus
The Education Department has identified around 1.06 lakh surplus teachers across Bihar using data from the e-Shiksha Kosh portal. Of these, 65,413 teachers are posted in primary schools (Classes 1 to 5).
The department considers a teacher surplus when the number of teachers in a school exceeds the prescribed norm of one teacher for every 30 students, in line with the Right to Education (RTE) guidelines.
Focus On Teacher Shortage Districts
The government said districts including Araria, Jamui and Purnia continue to face shortages of teachers.
Under the new plan, teachers working in schools with excess staff will be transferred in phases to schools and centres where additional teachers are required, including Bal Vatika classrooms and Anganwadi centres.
Anganwadi Centres To Be Included
Education Minister said nearly 10,000 Anganwadi centres are already functioning within government school campuses. Surplus primary teachers will also be deployed to Anganwadi centres located near government schools to strengthen early childhood education.
The government plans to expand the initiative to additional centres as the programme progresses.
Transfer Process Will Be Voluntary
The department has clarified that participation in the transfer process will be voluntary. Only teachers who choose to seek a transfer will be considered.
Applicants will be required to submit a list of up to 30 preferred schools. Transfers will be made only to one of the schools selected by the teacher.
Male teachers will be eligible for postings in blocks adjoining their home block and may choose from up to four nearby blocks. Female teachers will be given the option of transfer to a panchayat near their home panchayat, subject to availability and their stated preferences.
Data Verification Still Underway
The Education Department said the identification of surplus teachers has been based on student-teacher ratio data available on the e-Shiksha Kosh portal.
However, officials acknowledged that enrolment details for all students have not yet been uploaded by every school. The department is expected to continue updating records before completing the transfer exercise.
Helpline Numbers Released
To assist teachers during the transfer process, the Education Minister announced dedicated helpline numbers through the department’s Command and Control Centre.
The toll-free numbers are 14417 and 18003454417. Teachers can also contact the e-Shiksha Kosh helpdesk on 9523300520 and 9430820499 for assistance regarding transfer-related queries.
