1,812 rural schools brought under urban limits in 46 UP districts

In the notification, Anand Kumar Singh, deputy secretary of the basic education department, said that teachers in these districts would be asked to submit their consent online for the transfer. Those opting to move will be included in the urban teaching cadre but placed at the bottom of the seniority list. However, a large number of schools have vacant teaching positions.

With the expansion of urban limits in 46 districts, as many as 1,812 state-run primary and upper primary schools that were earlier categorised as rural have now come under urban areas. The basic education department has issued a notification formalising the transfer of these schools from rural to urban jurisdiction.

Teachers currently posted in these schools will now be accommodated under the urban cadre after submitting their options online. (For representation)

Teachers currently posted in these schools will now be accommodated under the urban cadre after submitting their options online. The affected districts include Basti, Deoria, Gorakhpur, and Kushinagar, among others.

In the notification, Anand Kumar Singh, deputy secretary of the basic education department, said that teachers in these districts would be asked to submit their consent online for the transfer. Those opting to move will be included in the urban teaching cadre but placed at the bottom of the seniority list. However, a large number of schools have vacant teaching positions.

Anil Yadav, state president of the UP BTC Teachers’ Association, welcomed the government’s decision, calling it a “Diwali gift” for teachers. He said the move would not only benefit teachers but also ease the staff shortage in urban schools.

For instance, within Varanasi urban limits, 119 teachers are employed in 73 schools, whereas 216 teachers are required for 99 schools.