A massive wave of discontent has hit Odisha as around 13,000 junior teachers took to the streets of Bhubaneswar to demand the immediate regularization of their employment. Working in various government primary and upper primary schools across the state, these educators gathered at Mahatma Gandhi Marg under the banner of the Odisha Junior Teachers Association, raising slogans against the contractual employment system.
Protest Erupts in Bhubaneswar
The protesting teachers expressed deep frustration over the lingering uncertainty surrounding their careers. Despite rendering long-term services in state-run schools, their employment status remains ambiguous. The association warned that if the state government fails to take concrete action soon, the protest will be intensified and expanded to other districts of Odisha.
Legal Hurdles and High Court Stay
Although Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had earlier approved the regularization of scheme-based junior teachers, and the School and Mass Education Department issued a notification in April, the process hit a legal roadblock. Some contractual teachers approached the Odisha High Court challenging the regularization process over seniority concerns, prompting the court to impose an interim stay in April.
Teachers have accused the state government of delaying the filing of affidavits in the High Court, which has further prolonged the legal stalemate. The primary demand remains the permanent absorption of teachers into regular government service and a swift legal resolution to clear the path for their regularization.
