Uncertainty surrounds the intra-district transfer of government primary and high school teachers annd primary head teachers in the State.Primary and higher secondary teachers had applied online for general transfers a few months ago. Following other procedures, provisional transfer lists were published in some districts. However, the Directorate of General Education (DGE) recently issued a communication to all deputy directors of education (DDEs) freezing the provisional lists citing a March order prohibiting transfer of all officials on Census 2027 duty.This, in effect, means that all related procedures have been stopped, say teachers’ organisations.The March order, issued byGeneral Administration department in the wake of a communication from the Union Home Secretary, bars transfer or shifting of officials deployed for Census duty at State, district, tehsil, and enumeration block levels till March 31, 2027, in view of the statutory nature of the Census work.The Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), which provides technical support, has halted transfer-related procedures, putting a question mark over it being effected ahead of school reopening.However, both Minister for General Education N. Samsudheen and Director of General Education (DGE) Asif K. Yusuf did not seem to have any knowledge of the transfers being paused.The Minister on Tuesday said no decision had been taken to freeze transfers. Since the Census is scheduled in July, transfers could be held prior to it, Mr. Samsudheen added.The DGE said only the transfer list of Ministerial staff had been frozen, not of teachers.However, the communication from the Directorate of General Education was sent by a senior administrative officer. According to it, the date for publishing the provisional list will be re-examined and a decision conveyed to them later.Teachers’ organisations said schools had been asked for lists of teachers deployed for Census duty. The circular from the directorate too directs the DDEs to compile lists of all teachers on Census duty and forward those.The Kerala School Teachers’ Association and the All Kerala School Teachers’ Union have called for immediate withdrawal of the communication freezing the transfer of teachers. Transferring teachers to schools they had opted for would not affect Census duties in any way since only preliminary work related to the Census had begun. Since the transfers were held within districts, teachers could travel to the location they have been deployed for Census duty. No transfers were frozen back during the 2011 Census. Without transfers, retirement vacancies of primary head teachers and other teachers that had arisen would not be filled at the start of the academic year, leading to a crisis in many districts, they said. Published - May 27, 2026 07:23 pm IST