Students of Odisha teachers’ training institute want action against principal

Reported by Santosh Jagdev
Bhubaneswar, July 15:

Hundreds of first year and second year students pursuing teachers’ training course at the District Institute of Education and Training (DIET) Khallikote in Odisha’s Ganjam district today staged a protest at the Lower PMG square here demanding the removal and stringent action against the incumbent principal of the college for harassing them in many ways.

They also submitted a memorandum to the Director of Teachers’ Education and State Council of Educational Research and Training (TE&SCERT) listing several allegations against the principal.

Sudhir Sahu, a student, alleged that the college principal was torturing the students physically as well as mentally and threatening them with expulsion if they ever try to complain to the higher officials of the Department against her.

The students further alleged that, apart from torture, the principal does not listen to their genuine grievances and problems they face at the institute such as irregular classes, lack of security for inmates in hostels, delay in granting survey money and heavy charges for practical examination.

“We are in the state capital protesting against the principal’s inefficiency and harassment of the students. We demand stringent action against her,” said another student. If our demands are not met soon by the state government then we will take aggressive steps in coming days, he warned.