Assam launches the Employee Transfer Randomisation System for forest department staff

State Focus Assam Governance Environment & Climate Polity & Governance

Assam launches the Employee Transfer Randomisation System for forest department staff

23 October 2026

Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has launched an online portal that decides transfers of forest staff by random selection.
It is called the Employee Transfer Randomisation System (ETRS) and is used for the Department of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.
In its first round, 2,137 eligible employees were transferred.
Staff who had completed three years at one place were moved, including forest guards, foresters, deputy rangers, game watchers and fixed-pay workers.
Some groups were left out, such as staff aged 58 and above, wildlife-wing experts and those with seriously ill family members.
The Chief Minister asked other departments to adopt a similar system.

Employees transferred in first round: 2,137 Minimum stay for transfer: Three years

Why it matters for exams: e-Governance reforms such as Assam's Employee Transfer Randomisation System (ETRS) — what the abbreviation stands for and which department first used it — feature in State governance questions.

Kerala PSCUPSC

23 October 2026 Source: ThePrint (PTI)

In plain words

ETRS Employee Transfer Randomisation System — Online portal that allots transfers by random selection.