Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Feb 19:

With only two more days to go for Odisha’s High School Certificate (HSC) examination and large numbers of Block Grant teachers still missing in action, Orissa High Court today asked the agitating teachers to report to work.

High Court of Odisha

The court today issued an interim order asking the Block Grant teachers to cooperate with the government and Board of Secondary Education (BSE)  during the examination. It also asked the Director General of Police to maintain law and order during the examaination. Next hearing of the case pertaining to the demands of the teachers has been scheduled to March 10.

On the other hand, the BSE also came down heavily on the teachers and warned legal action against the teachers who press ahead with the boycott. Besides, School and Mass Education department has issued a circular to DEOs and district Collectors stating that the block grant schools that do not cooperate with the government would be barred as an examination centre from next year.

“We would initiate action in consultation with the State Government, should the Block Grant teachers boycott the examination. We would also consider not making those schools an examination centre again, if there be a need,” said BSE president Daksha Prasad Nanda.

“Interests of the 6.5 lakh students going to the examination is of prime importance to us. We have asked all the teachers to cooperate during the examination. We are taking the interests of the teachers with utmost importance too. Some of the teachers have started joining as Centre Superintendents at various centres. I hope others would follow suit,” said School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra speaking to reporters today.

While the teachers, earlier in the day, insisted that they would defy BSE’s warning and would continue their agitation till the government allows full grant-in-aid to their schools, we were not able to get their reaction after the High Court passed its order this evening.

Notably, out of the 2882 schools that have been made examination centre this year, 162 are block grant high schools.