Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today announced the formation of a high-level committee to thoroughly examine the long-pending demands of teachers, professors, and non-teaching staff across the state’s educational institutions.
The committee will be headed by retired bureaucrat Ashok Kumar Tripathy and has been mandated to submit its comprehensive report within six months.
Shri Tripathy, who superannuated in the rank of Chief Secretary has served as Principal Secretary in School & Mass Education and Higher Education Departments. He has also served as Vice Chancellor of Utkal University of Culture.
The announcement, made by the Chief Minister in the State Legislative Assembly, is seen as a significant move by the new government to address issues plaguing the education sector and resolve concerns raised by various teachers’ and employees’ unions.
The newly constituted committee’s scope is extensive, covering educational institutions under both the School & Mass Education Department and the Higher Education Department. This includes teachers and employees of government, government-aided, and block-grant (non-government aided) institutions.
For years, associations representing these employees have been consistently raising a diverse set of demands, which often lead to protests and disruptions. The formation of this committee under the chairmanship of the retired IAS officer Tripathy signals the government’s intention to formalize the resolution process and find a scientific, long-term solution.
The committee is expected to study all facets of the demands, which typically involve issues related to:
- Revision of Grade Pay and salary structures.
- Regularisation of contractual service periods.
- Grant-in-Aid (GIA) policies and their disbursement.
- Pensionary and other service benefits.
Chief Minister Shri Majhi emphasized the government’s serious consideration of these issues, stating that the committee’s findings will form the basis for future policy decisions aimed at improving the working conditions and welfare of the education workforce in Odisha.
The six-month deadline will keep the government and the unions on a clear timeline for expected resolutions.