Ashfaq Qaimkhani/Jaipur

The controversy over the transfer of a government school principal in Rajasthan’s Nagaur district continues to escalate, with villagers locking the PM Shri Government Higher Secondary School in Jaroda to protest against the transfer of Principal Mohammad Akhtar Nadeem.

Villagers from Jaroda and surrounding areas have threatened to launch an indefinite protest if the government does not revoke the transfer order. They say Nadeem has earned widespread respect for his dedication to the school and his efforts to improve students’ academic performance.

During his nearly 30-year tenure, school enrolment reportedly rose to around 1,500 students. The school became so popular that children from neighbouring villages also sought admission.

According to villagers, Nadeem routinely remained at the school from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and treated his position as more than just a government job. Classes were organised for academically weaker students even during holidays, while buses were arranged to transport students from nearby villages.

Villagers on a sit-in against Principal's transfer

An elderly villager participating in the protest said Nadeem would step in whenever a teacher of an important subject such as mathematics or science was transferred, ensuring that students’ studies did not suffer until a replacement arrived.

The villager also claimed that Nadeem had, on several occasions, personally paid for private tutors to ensure that students continued to receive instruction until new teachers joined the school.

Over the years, Nadeem built a strong relationship of trust with students and their parents. That trust has now become the driving force behind the protest against his transfer.

As the situation escalated, Merta Sub-Divisional Officer Sunil Chaudhary and Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramkaran Malinda reached the protest site on Wednesday afternoon and held talks with the villagers.

Following discussions with the district administration, the villagers were assured that Nadeem would not be relieved from the school for three months.

However, the assurance failed to pacify the protesters. They argue that the same issue will resurface once the three-month period ends. Their demand, they say, is not merely a delay in relieving Nadeem but the complete cancellation of his transfer order.

The villagers have declared that the school will remain locked until the transfer is revoked.

नागौर के मेड़ता ब्लॉक के जारोड़ा गांव में शिक्षक नदीम खान के तबादले के विरोध में छात्र-अभिभावक धरने पर बैठे हैं।
स्कूल में तालाबंदी कर तबादला निरस्त करने की मांग की जा रही है।
अभिभावकों का कहना है कि उनके प्रयासों से स्कूल ने जिले में बेहतरीन पहचान बनाई है।#SchoolThikKaro pic.twitter.com/CQCmsDo4Nr

— S. Kholwad (@kholwad_santram) August 19, 2026

The protest is already affecting students’ education. Students boycotted their second examination at the school, creating further difficulties for the education department.

The PM Shri School in Jaroda is among the selected PM Shri schools in Rajasthan. Its closure for a second consecutive day has become a major talking point in the surrounding villages.

The protesters maintain that they do not want to disrupt their children’s education. They blame the situation on the decision to transfer a principal and other teachers.

Residents of around eight nearby villages are reportedly participating in the agitation. Protesters have been sitting under tarpaulins and on mats at the site and say they will continue their movement until Nadeem is reinstated at Jaroda School.

Some villagers have also informed the administration about their next course of action. They plan to meet the District Magistrate first. If their demands are not addressed, they say they will travel by bus to Jaipur and approach the Chief Minister.

Some students have also reportedly said they may consider leaving the school and seeking admission elsewhere if Nadeem is transferred. However, this claim has not been independently verified.

Villagers are also reportedly unhappy with the role of the local Merta MLA in the dispute. They want elected representatives to intervene and take up their concerns with the government.

So far, the MLA has not played an active role in resolving the transfer dispute, according to the villagers.

The situation has put the education department in a difficult position. While the transfer is being treated as part of the administrative process, villagers and students have publicly rallied behind the principal. The school lockout and examination boycott are meanwhile affecting students’ education.

The controversy has also spilled onto social media, where several people have expressed support for Nadeem and highlighted his commitment to education and the relationship he has built with students and villagers.

A social media user, Chiranji Lal, expressed his respect for Nadeem, while Mushtaq Hussain wrote that people still recognise goodness and that respect and affection continue to have a place in society.

The online reactions suggest that the dispute has grown beyond the transfer of a government employee. It has also sparked a wider conversation about rural education, the bond between teachers and students, and the contribution of teachers who spend decades building institutions and earning the trust of local communities.

The resolution of the dispute at Jaroda PM Shri School now rests largely with the state government and the education department.

Although the administration has assured the villagers that Nadeem will not be relieved for three months, the protesters remain firm on their demand for complete cancellation of the transfer order.

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For now, the school remains locked, students’ education has been disrupted, and villagers say they are prepared to continue their agitation until the government takes a decision on Nadeem’s transfer.