Khemka transferred

Chandigarh: The inevitable has happened. The tough-talking Haryana director of secondary education Ashok Khemka, who dared to take on the political establishment in the state to reform the decaying education system, has been transferred days after he joined.
He has been given a sideline posting — officer on special duty (rules) — in the government.However, he continues to hold additional charge of joint secretary, information technology. His place has been filled by P S Bidhan who had recently been posted as director, urban development.
On the very first day of his joining the post on September 17, this no-nonsense officer issued orders prohibiting transfer of teachers.
He stalled the execution of notes from the chief minister’s office (CMO) recommending mid-session transfer of teachers in violation of a general ban on transfers in the state.
Khemka’s transfer orders were issued on Sunday, a day after the chief minister got free from the rally held to commemorate the 91st birth anniversary of his father, former deputy prime minister Devi Lal, at Fatehabad, for which the entire ruling party leadership and the state machinery was busy mobilising support.
The argument forwarded by the young IAS officer against mid-session transfer of teachers was that these affected the studies of students, which was a national loss not easily quantifiable.
He also held the view that by entertaining requests for mid-session transfer of teachers on a large scale, the government was encouraging teachers to chase political leaders to get favourable postings, instead of focusing on teaching.
On Saturday, Khemka had laid out a roadmap for improving the standards of secondary education in the state by ensuring that the teachers and students went back to school.