BHUBANESWAR – The Odisha government has established a high-level inter-ministerial committee to examine the demands of thousands of protesting school teachers. This move aims to end the widespread Odisha teachers’ protest, which has significantly disrupted academic activities across the state. The committee will hold discussions with representatives of the teachers’ unions and submit a report to the government.
Government’s Response to Widespread Agitation
In an effort to address the ongoing agitation, the state government announced the formation of the committee late on Friday. The panel will be headed by the Chief Secretary and include senior officials from the Finance and the School and Mass Education department. According to a government spokesperson, the committee’s primary mandate is to “thoroughly review all the demands put forth by the teachers’ associations and find a viable and amicable solution.”
The government has appealed to the teachers to call off their strike and return to their duties, ensuring that the education of students is not hampered further. “We are hopeful for a positive outcome through dialogue,” said School and Mass Education Minister Sudam Marndi in a press statement. “The welfare of both teachers and students is our priority.”
The Core Demands of the Odisha Teachers’ Protest
The teachers, united under several associations, have been protesting for the fulfilment of a three-point charter of demands. These core issues have been longstanding grievances among the state’s educators.
Key Grievances
The primary teachers’ demands include:
- Abolition of the Contractual Appointment System: Teachers are demanding the immediate regularisation of all contractual educators, arguing that the system creates pay disparities and job insecurity.
- Increased Salaries: They seek a revision of their salary structure to bring it in line with central government pay scales.
- Reintroduction of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS): A major point of contention is the demand to scrap the current National Pension System (NPS) and restore the OPS, which offers a defined pension post-retirement.
“We have been forced to take to the streets because our repeated appeals have been ignored for years,” stated a leader of the Odisha Secondary School Teachers’ Association (OSSTA). “This inter-ministerial committee is a welcome step, but we will wait for concrete action before calling off our protest.”
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Impact on Education and Next Steps
The ongoing strike has led to the closure of numerous primary and secondary schools across Odisha, affecting the education of lakhs of students. With half-yearly examinations approaching, parents and students have expressed growing concern over the loss of academic time.
The newly formed committee is expected to begin deliberations next week. Officials have not specified a timeline for the submission of its final report, but sources within the government suggest an effort will be made to resolve the issue swiftly. The teachers’ unions have stated that while they will engage with the committee, their protest will continue in a phased manner until a formal notification addressing their demands is issued by the government.
