Why are 13,000 Junior Teachers protesting in Odisha? Know their demands

Teachers belonging to the Odisha Junior Teachers Association staged a sit-in protest, demanding that the government initiate the regularization process. They also called for the abolition of the contractual appointment system.

Around 13,000 junior teachers in Odisha staged a protest in Bhubaneswar on Thursday, September 17, demanding the regularization of their jobs. Under the banner of the Odisha Junior Teachers Association, a large number of teachers sat in protest on Mahatma Gandhi Marg, urging the government to promptly begin the regularization process. The protesting teachers also demanded an end to the contractual appointment system. These teachers are currently employed in the state’s primary and upper primary government schools. They state that the lack of clarity regarding their employment status, despite long years of service, is adversely affecting their careers.

What is the issue regarding the regularization of teachers?

According to the protesting teachers, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had approved the regularization of ‘scheme-based’ junior teachers in the state. Following this, the School and Mass Education Department issued a notification regarding the regularization process on April 2. These teachers had been appointed during the 2023-24 academic year. Under the government’s plan, it was stipulated that they would be regularized effective from their date of appointment. However, to date, no scheme-based junior teacher has been regularized.

Regularization stalled due to High Court stay

The matter became embroiled in a legal dispute before the regularization process could move forward. On April 14, the Odisha High Court imposed an interim stay on the government’s decision regarding regularization. The Court directed the state government to file an affidavit detailing the criteria established for this process. Meanwhile, the teachers allege that even months after the Court’s directive, the government has failed to file the required affidavit. They claim that this is the reason the regularization process is unable to proceed.

Questions Raised Regarding Seniority

Some junior contractual teachers who filed petitions in the matter have also raised the issue of seniority concerning the regularization process. They argue that if teachers from the 2023-24 batch are regularized based on their initial date of appointment, they could rank higher on the seniority list than teachers who were appointed earlier. Due to this dispute, the matter is pending in the High Court, and the regularization process has been stayed.

What Are the Junior Teachers’ Demands?

The primary demand of the protesting teachers is to transition from contractual or similar employment arrangements to regular government service. The teachers want the government to promptly file its response in the High Court and take the necessary steps to pave the way for regularization. The association has warned that if the government does not take swift action on this matter, the agitation will be intensified and could be extended to other districts across the state.