After Announcing Abolition Of Contractual Recruitment, Odisha Govt Set To Engage Teachers On Annual Agreement

Bhubaneswar: Months after announcing abolition of contractual system of recruitment, the Odisha government on Tuesday issued a notification about engagement of Junior Teachers (Schematic) that appeared to be in sharp contrast to its earlier decision.

The notification issued by the School and Mass Education Department prescribes the guideline for engagement of Junior Teachers (Schematic). It lays down that the engagement of the Junior Teachers will be on annual agreement basis.

Agreement will be renewed in subsequent years depending on the performance of the candidates, it said, adding that prior to renewal of the agreement, the Junior Teacher has to obtain a certificate from the concerned headmaster regarding his/her regular attendance and satisfactory service which is to be produced before the Zilla Parishad.

It further stated that the Junior Teacher (Schematic) can be disengaged from the service with a prior notice of 30 days, if she/he violates the conditions of the agreement on the basis of adverse report of the Block Education Officer – on un-authorised absence/misconduct/involvement in criminal cases etc.

Reacting to the fresh guideline prescribed in the notification, experts pointed out that the government had way back in 2018 decided that the Sikhya Sahayak post would be abolished and the teachers will be posted as Junior Teachers on contract for the first three years.

Subsequently, the government in April, this year changed the nomenclature of Junior Teacher s (Contractual) to Junior Teacher (Schematic).

Moreover, the government had announced abolition contractual system of employment and regularisation of the services of its present contractual employees. It was decided that there would be no contractual appointment in the state. However, today’s notification appeared to be a move to negate the earlier decision, the experts claimed.