Bhubaneswar: The ongoing agitation by over 30,000 teachers and employees, spearheaded by the Odisha School College Teachers and Employees Coordination Committee, entered its second day on Saturday, as protestors staged a massive rally from Congress Bhawan to the Odisha Assembly and continued their indefinite sit-in at Mahatma Gandhi Marg near Lower PMG.
In response, the state government has initiated dialogue. School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond and Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan met a delegation of protesting teachers in the presence of Bhubaneswar (Ekamra) MLA Babu Singh.
Minister Gond assured that the government, under the leadership of the Chief Minister, is addressing the issue with a “positive mindset.” A commission with representatives from the Finance, Law, and Education departments will be set up to examine the teachers’ demands, though he cautioned that the process will take time. Gond also blamed the previous government for inaction, which he said has delayed solutions.
Law Minister Harichandan added that discussions with the Odisha Secondary School Teachers’ Association (OSSTA) and the Coordination Committee had already taken place. A five-member committee, chaired by the Chief Secretary, has been tasked with studying four key demands—including government grants for 194 schools and raising the retirement age of teachers from 60 to 62 years—and will submit its report promptly.
While the ministers urged the teachers to withdraw their agitation, the protestors said they would only consider suspending their agitation if the government provided a written assurance.
