Supportive Teacher Management Practices for Enhancing Teacher Quality: Analyzing Experiences from the Indian State of Karnataka^*

Abstract

Building a quality teaching force depends fundamentally upon attracting suitable candidates into teaching. This translates into transparent and clear policies and procedures for recruitment and transfers. Teacher recruitment and transfer are significant aspects of teacher management in Indian states because of the size and the differences that exist in different locations, in terms of facilities including access to health care services, higher educational institutions, and also transport and mobility. The presence or absence of these facilities and services determine the perceived quality for teachers, especially as it also determines their and the family members’ (including spouse and children) ability to access education, health care, or job market. This makes the recruitment and transfer policy a critical aspect of teacher management that contributes significantly to the motivation and job satisfaction of the teacher. Karnataka was able to make progress on designing and implementing transparent and effective teacher recruitment and transfer policies and move away from a system plagued by the weaknesses exhibited by other states. This chapter undertakes a historical analysis of teacher recruitment and transfers in the state, examines the determinants that led to current policies and an examination of the on-going changes since the policy was first introduced. Using Karnataka’s example, it argues that effective and efficient teacher management systems can lead to better teacher quality.

Citation

Minni, P. and Jha, J. (2021), "Supportive Teacher Management Practices for Enhancing Teacher Quality: Analyzing Experiences from the Indian State of Karnataka^*", Wiseman, A.W. and Kumar, P. (Ed.) Building Teacher Quality in India: Examining Policy Frameworks and Implementation Outcomes (International Perspectives on Education and Society, Vol. 41), Emerald Publishing Limited, Leeds, pp. 127-157. https://doi.org/10.1108/S1479-367920210000041007