Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has decided to engage 5,740 retired teachers as Guest Teachers in government, fully aided, block grant high schools and Sanskrit TOL schools for the 2026–27 academic year to ensure that classroom teaching is not disrupted due to staff shortages.
The School & Mass Education Department on Friday approved the continuation of the Guest Teacher Scheme, allowing retired teachers to be re-engaged until regular appointments are made. The move comes amid persistent vacancies in secondary schools and is aimed at maintaining academic continuity across the state.
The approval was communicated by Additional Secretary to the Government Girish Chandra Singh in a letter to the Director of Secondary Education. The decision follows a proposal submitted through the Odisha Secretariat Workflow Automation System (OSWAS).
According to the official order, Guest Teachers will continue in service only until regularly appointed teachers join their respective schools or till the end of the 2026–27 academic session, whichever is earlier. District Education Officers (DEOs) have been instructed to engage Guest Teachers strictly against vacancies reported by the Directorate of Secondary Education and only after obtaining approval from the respective District Collectors.
The government has also made it clear that Guest Teachers posted in schools where newly recruited Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs) report for duty will be relieved immediately. However, they may be re-engaged in other schools facing teacher shortages, ensuring that experienced retired teachers continue to support the state’s education system.
In a special provision, retired I.A.CT. and Matric-CT teachers from Sanskrit TOL institutions will also be eligible for engagement as Guest Teachers in Sanskrit TOL schools, subject to the prescribed norms.
Officials said the engagement process will continue to be governed by the School & Mass Education Department’s Resolution of August 17, 2016, along with subsequent amendments and clarifications issued in 2018. The Director of Secondary Education has been asked to oversee implementation of the scheme and submit periodic progress reports to the government.
The expenditure on the Guest Teacher Scheme will be met from the approved Administrative Expenditure (EOM) budget.
The proposal has also received concurrence from the Finance Department, clearing the way for its implementation across the state’s secondary schools.
