Bhubaneswar: To strengthen administrative efficiency, ensure equitable distribution of officers, and prioritise grassroots governance, the Odisha government has rolled out a comprehensive new transfer and posting policy for junior cadre officers of the Odisha Administrative Service and the Odisha Revenue Service (ORS).
Issued by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department on April 15, the policy emphasises mandatory field postings in the early years of service, fixed timelines, and a ban on external influences to create a more transparent, rule-based system.
The policy aims to streamline administrative functioning while addressing shortages in remote and underserved regions. It mandates that all officers serve in field postings for the first six years of their service, ensuring they gain practical, ground-level experience in governance challenges before moving to other roles. “Officers must have field experience as Tehsildar/ BDO/ LAO/ DSR within the first six years of their careers.”
Priority for Backward and Scheduled Areas
During initial counselling and postings, priority will be given to filling vacancies in the KBK (Kalahandi-Balangir-Koraput) districts, Gajapati, Kandhamal, and other scheduled areas. Officers serving in KBK regions must complete a minimum of three years before they can be considered for transfers elsewhere. This move seeks to bolster administration in the state’s most needy and backward regions.
Ban on Recommendations and Fixed Transfer Window
A key feature is the complete prohibition on any direct or indirect recommendations or lobbying for transfers by officers or external parties. Violations will be dealt with strictly, reinforcing a merit- and rule-based approach free from favouritism.
General transfers will be conducted annually only within a defined window from April 15 to June 15. Any transfers outside this period will require explicit approval from higher authorities. The standard tenure at a posting has been set at a minimum of two years and a maximum of three years, though this can be adjusted based on administrative needs or public interest.
Strict Timelines and Geographical Limits
To prevent delays, officers must be relieved within seven days of receiving transfer orders; if not, they will be deemed relieved automatically on the eighth day. They are required to join their new posting within seven days of relief.
Geographical restrictions are stringent: No officer can serve continuously in a single district for more than six years or exceed a total of ten years in any district over their entire career. Postings in an officer’s home district are generally prohibited, with relaxations possible only under special circumstances shortly before retirement.
Provisions for Special Cases
The policy includes compassionate elements: Transfer requests from officers with 40% or more disability will be considered sympathetically. For married couples (spouses), postings in nearby locations may be accommodated where feasible, though this cannot be claimed as a right. All transfer requests will be reviewed by a dedicated committee in the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, and no officer can claim a specific posting as a matter of right.
This new policy supersedes all previous guidelines and comes into immediate effect, it added.
