Bengaluru: The long leave of Senior IAS officer, Primary and High School Education Department Principal Secretary Shalini Rajneesh, especially during SSLC and PUC final exams has made way to many speculations.

It was out in open that the senior bureaucrat and Primary and Secondary Education Minister Tanveer Sait were at loggerheads over the issue of transfer of teachers. Following this, Sait had written a letter to the CM on February 24, not just pressing for transfers of teachers but also for transfer of Shalini Rajneesh. He had stated in the letter that Shalini Rajneesh must be transferred due to civil and administrative reasons and that Health and Family Welfare Department Chief Secretary Ajay Sait should be appointed as the Additional (in-Charge) Secretary to his department. But, the state government didn’t act on the letter till date.

Moreover, several MLCs from teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies in the state as well as private schools association had demanded the government to transfer Shalini Rajneesh. MLC Puttanna said, “The II PUC examinations are going on and SSLC exams are to begin from March 23. In the past, there have been several issues such as question paper leaks. These issues need to be dealt with by the department head. How can she go on a 15 day leave at such a crucial time?”

A certain degree of incompatibility between Shalini Rajneesh and Sait was seen since her appointment to the department. It was evident during the officers’ meet but it came out in the open during the transfer of teachers.