Patna, Dec 16 : The Nitish Kumar government which always claims that teachers' recruitment is its achievement, may face a new challenge managing the high volume of transfer requests from educators in Bihar.

With over 1.75 lakh teachers applying online for transfers, the numbers have far exceeded the education department's expectations, which were initially capped at around one lakh applications.

The government had set specific criteria for transfer requests, focussing on cases involving special circumstances such as incurable diseases, severe illnesses, disabilities, widowhood, deserted women, postings of both spouses or the inconvenience of long-distance postings.

Despite these targeted categories, a significant majority ' around 1.25 lakh applicants, have cited long-distance postings as the reason for seeking a transfer.

This surge in applications due to distance-related issues indicates the magnitude of logistical challenges that the education department must now address.

The situation calls for an efficient, transparent process to resolve transfer requests while ensuring minimal disruption to the education system.

The second-highest category of transfer requests among teachers in Bihar is based on spousal postings, where teachers seek transfers to be stationed closer to their life partners.

The education department has set an ambitious target to complete these transfers by the first week of January, as disclosed by Dr. S. Siddharth, the department's Additional Chief Secretary.

'The process will now move to the verification stage, where the department will scrutinise the online applications received. Officials will analyse the data to determine how many teachers have applied for transfers within panchayats, municipal bodies, and across districts.

'Additionally, they will assess how many teachers are seeking transfers within their current district versus those requesting inter-district transfers,' Dr. S. Siddharth said.

Based on the preferences indicated by the applicants, the department aims to accommodate transfer requests to the extent possible while balancing administrative feasibility.

The next few weeks will be crucial for ensuring that the process is transparent, efficient, and aligned with the established criteria to maintain the trust of the teaching community and sustain the educational system's functionality.

The Bihar government is keen to resolve the teacher transfer-posting issue well ahead of the 2025 Assembly elections.

The administration views this as an opportunity to showcase the successful resolution of a long-standing concern and bolster its governance credentials.

By addressing this issue proactively, the government aims to turn it into a positive highlight in its election campaign, leaving no room for Opposition parties to exploit it as a political issue.

/IANS