Nandapur Tribal education at risk due to large-scale transfers.
Nandapur: A total of 648 teachers from the undivided Koraput region have sought transfers to their home districts on medical grounds, raising concerns about potential disruptions to the education system in these tribal areas.
To verify their medical claims, the state government has constituted a special medical board that will conduct health check-ups at the Saheed Laxman Nayak Medical College and Hospital (SLNMCH), Koraput, from July 2 to July 7. The board will assess the applicants’ conditions before considering their transfer requests.
This development has drawn criticism from locals, who fear that the mass transfer of teachers could adversely affect the education system in this tribal-dominated region.
Anup Patra, a lawyer and human rights activist from Jeypore, has written to the President, Prime Minister, Union Education Minister, Chief Minister, School and Mass Education Minister, Chief Secretary, Education Secretary, and the Collectors of the four districts, urging immediate intervention.
He has also approached the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), alleging that the proposed transfers could weaken the region’s education system. The NHRC has registered the complaint under Diary No. 14232/IN/2026 for consideration.
Sources revealed that the applicants are teachers from other districts who are currently posted in the four districts of the undivided Koraput region and have requested transfers to their home districts on medical grounds.
Of the 648 applicants, 219 are employed in Koraput district, 179 in Nabarangpur, and 125 each in Rayagada and Malkangiri districts.
The proposed transfers have sparked resentment across the region.
Human rights activists and local intellectuals argue that while the government claims to be strengthening education in tribal-dominated districts, the mass departure of teachers—originally recruited from outside the region—to their home districts could have a severe impact on the local education system. Questioning the unusually high number of applications, they asked how 648 teachers working in Koraput—a region known for its pleasant natural environment—could simultaneously suffer from medical conditions necessitating a transfer.
They demanded an investigation into the circumstances behind such a large volume of applications.
Activists stated that while employees have the right to seek transfers, the Education Department must strictly adhere to existing transfer norms. They urged the medical board to conduct a thorough examination and called upon the state government and district administration to ensure complete transparency in the process.
They warned that failure to do so could severely disrupt the education system in the undivided Koraput region.
