Teachers’ Assn to protest Odisha govt decision to cancel hirings

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Nov 21:

A day after Odisha government informed the High Court that it would cancel appointments of nearly 4, 000 contractual teachers done after June this year, the Contractual Teachers’ Association today threatened to stage protest outside chief minister and school and mass education ministers’ residence on November 26.

The Contractual Teachers’ Association has threatened to gherao Naveen Niwas (Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s residence) and School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra’s residence on November 26 in protest against government’s decision.

“The government considers the contractual teachers as bonded labours. It had appointed the teachers despite the fact that there was a stay on it. It is deliberately playing with the life of teachers. We would give a befitting reply to the government with gherao of Naveen Niwas and School and Mass Education Minister’s residence. Over 21, 000 teaches would participate in the protest rally,” Pradipta Kumar Pradhan, President of Odisha Government High School Contract Teachers Association (OGHSCTA) said.

With the recent decision of the government, nearly 4, 000 contractual teachers appointed after June 11 this year will lose their jobs.

Yesterday, School and Mass Education Department Secretary Ranjana Chopra submitted an affidavit regarding the state government’s decision before a division bench comprising Justice Sanju Panda and Justice BP Choudhury.

The government informed the court that the appointments made after the interim stay order on June 11 would be cancelled.

The court posted the next hearing to November 26 and ordered the School and Mass Education Department to apprise it of the steps taken by it in the meantime.

In 2014, the state government had published advertisements for recruitment of 5, 364 contractual teachers’ post in various districts in the state. Following this, several aspirants had knocked on the doors of Odisha Administrative Tribunal (OAT) citing anomalies in the eligibility criteria.

The Tribunal, in November 19 last year, had directed the School and Mass Education Department to accept all the applications and not to publish the final list without its approval. Besides, it had given the go ahead to continue with the process.

Several applicants had moved the High Court which passed an interim stay against the SAT order besides, serving a notice to the department on June 11 this year.

However, the state government gave appointment to nearly 4, 000 teachers on June 12 this year on contractual basis despite the interim stay order.

Contempt of court petitions were filed in the court following which show-cause notices were served on School and Mass Education Department Secretary and Primary Education Director. These two officials yesterday appeared before the court and submitted an affidavit before the court.