HC Asks Odisha Govt To ‘Revisit Odia Knowledge Clause For Hiring Dentists

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has advised the state government to ‘revisit’ the provision of four-year period granted to dental surgeons, not having the required knowledge of Odia, to pass the examination conducted by Board of Secondary Education, Odisha.

While refusing to consider a petition, seeking an order to not allow candidates from outside Odisha without the required knowledge of Odia to participate in the process of direct recruitment to the posts of dental surgeon in the state, the division bench of Chief Justice Subhasis Talapatra and Justice Savitri Ratho asked the government to take a call on the representation submitted for imposition of more restriction within 30 days.

“The knowledge of Odia may also be treated as an essential qualification of the service. The period for acquiring knowledge of Odia as granted to the extent of four years is unreasonably long period. This clause definitely needs revisit,” the bench observed on August 16, while stating that it found no sustainable ground to strike down those rules as challenged.

The government may impose more stringent clause for ensuring better service to the people living in the periphery of the state, it added.

While challenging provisions regarding knowledge of Odia language as an essential qualification in Odisha Medical Services (Method of Recruitment and Conditions of Service of Dental Surgeons) Rules, 2022, the petitioners drew parallels with the other cadre rules where functional knowledge of Odia has been made mandatory for a person applying for the post.

“The purpose of filing the writ petition is that more than 600 posts of dental surgeons have been created for extending their service to the periphery of the state where the citizens confront difficulty to get the service of dentists,” advocate Avijit Mishra told the media.