Bhubaneswar: Much to the relief of the Plus II students and parents, the striking teachers of 662 category colleges in Odisha confirmed on Tuesday that they will participate in the Plus II examinations in the state scheduled to begin on March 1.
The teachers, who are agitating at the Lower PMG Square in Bhubaneswar, said that they have agreed to participate in the Plus II examinations conducted by the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) and will undertake invigilation duty keeping the larger interests of the students in view. However, they would continue with a token strike until all their demands are met.
It is worth mentioning here that more than college 4,000 teachers of 662 category were on strike demanding remuneration at par with other teaching staff of Payment of Grant-in-Aid to the Non-Government Aided Degree Colleges, Aided Junior Colleges and Aided Higher Secondary Schools under the Odisha Grant-in-Aid Order, 2022.
On Monday, the agitating teachers’ association had threatened to boycott the examinations and stay away from invigilation duty till the state government conceded their demands. However, they changed their stand on Tuesday after a meeting between a delegation of teachers and an inter-ministerial committee.
Talking to the media after the meeting, the convenor of the agitating teachers’ association, Golak Nayak, said, “We decided to participate in the Plus II examinations from Wednesday after Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari assured us to consider our demands. We will take part in the examinations keeping in view the interests of the students. However, a token strike will continue till our demands are met.”
Nayak further said that the inter-ministerial committee will meet again on March 10 and 12 to take a decision on their demands, which include equal pay for equal work and pension.
Meanwhile, around 4,00,000 students of higher secondary schools will appear for the CHSE Plus II examination in science, arts, commerce and vocational streams from March 1. Of these, more than 2,00,000 students are from 662 category colleges and higher secondary schools.
Meanwhile, all arrangements for the Plus II exams have been completed and question papers have reached the hubs. The examinations will be conducted under the surveillance of CCTV cameras at all centers.
