Teachers in Rajasthan have expressed apprehensions about a new transfer policy announced by the state government, saying it is incomplete and vulnerable to influence wielded by those with political clout.

Rajasthan Vidyalayi Shikshak Sanghathan, a teachers' organisation, has termed the policy a half-hearted attempt and asked the government to have a re-look at it.

The spokesman of the group said the policy was unclear on the transfer of lecturers.

"Since 1958, many transfer policies have been announced but our earlier experiences have not been up to the mark," said Radheshyam Tiwari, a teacher working in a government-run primary school. 

"In every policy, transfers were supposed to be made in a time-bound manner and within the framework of the policy. In reality things turned out to very different."

Surekha Singh, another teacher, said: "I have my doubts on the policy's implementation as no government has the guts to annoy its workers and leaders who want their persons to be placed at their desired places."

According to the new policy announced Tuesday, teachers desiring transfer will have to apply to the controlling authority in a prescribed form between April 15 and May 1 every year.

The authority will verify facts in the transfer application and make recommendations by May 15. Transfer orders will be issued by June 5 and all transferred teachers will have to join their new place of posting by July 7.

Under the policy, which will apply to all grades of teachers in primary, secondary and Sanskrit department, if the husband or wife and their children are suffering from any kind of incurable disease, they would be given preference in transfers. 

Teachers who have completed 15 years of service in rural areas or those serving in rural areas for 10 years would be given preference in transfers.

Preference would also be given to teachers who had ensured that over 90 percent of their students had passed in the last three years in middle board, secondary and senior secondary examinations.

Former education minister and senior Congress legislator C.P. Joshi was of the view that if the government was serious about the policy, it should be made part of service rules.