Mysuru: Hundreds of Government Primary School teachers resorted to a snap stir at NTM School premises on Narayana Shastri (NS) Road here this morning as the officials of the Education Department abruptly ended the counselling for request transfer, within a couple of hours it began.

Over 400 teachers from across the district had gathered at NTM School from early this morning, with the hope that they would get a transfer order to their liking.

As announced, the counselling began at 9 am and over 25 teachers were issued transfer order, when officials from the Department of Public Instruction abruptly ended the counselling at about 11 am, citing a WhatsApp message from the Commissioner of Public Instruction at Bengaluru to immediately stop the counselling process.

The abrupt end to the counselling made the teachers furious, who resorted to a snap stir, demanding resumption of counselling.

The teachers alleged that the counselling was halted due to the pressure exerted on the Commissioner by some vested interests, who were protecting the cause of teachers serving in cities since years.

The protesting teachers, most of them from taluk and village levels, further alleged that the Department was attempting to close the doors on those teachers who had sought transfer to city schools, after serving in rural schools for over two decades, travelling over 100 kms daily from their homes.

They further claimed that the Department had deliberately deferred the counselling twice, once on Oct.22 and the other on Oct.25, bowing to the pressure of the lobby that protected only the interests of teachers  serving in city schools.

Upon learning of the stir, the Devaraja Police rushed to the spot and provided security.

Meanwhile, DDPI S. Mamatha when contacted by Star of Mysore, said that the teacher counselling on request transfer began at 9 am this morning. But at 11 am, the Department Commissioner sent her a WhatsApp message asking her to immediately terminate the counselling process until further notice. Based on the Commissioner’s message, the counselling was stopped and she had only followed the Commissioner’s instruction, the DDPI said.