Other States - Orissa

Teachers threaten self-immolation

CUTTACK: Teachers of about 255 private colleges in the State have threatened to commit self-immolation if they are not granted aid as per the Orissa Aided Educational Institution (Appointment of Lecturers Validation) Act of 1998.

Alleging violations of the Act, arbitrary grant in aid to selected teachers and not yielding to several High Court orders in this context, the teachers claim that higher education in the State is now in a shambles. Forming a teachers’ forum, more than 500 teachers have now served an ultimatum on the Government.

"If our demands are not fulfilled immediately, we will resort to ‘do or die’ agitation," said forum general secretary Ajay Kumar Swain in an open letter to the Chief Minister. With a view to garnering public support and making the common men aware of their plight, they had decided to first gherao the Assembly and then launch hunger strike before committing self-immolation, Mr. Swain threatened.

"The State Government is indifferent to our demands. Moreover, the Government is flouting the provisions of the Act," says vice-president of the forum Pravakar Mishra, a lecturer in commerce.

Mr. Mishra has been teaching in a Cuttack-based college since April 1992 against an admissible post. Even the State Director of Higher Education had submitted a proposal to the State Government favouring validation of Mishra’s post and for sanction of grant in aid to him.

"But the Government rejected the proposal of the Director and is denying me the grants despite the fact that several other teachers junior to me have got the facility as per the Act," Mr Mishra alleges.

However, when Mr Mishra approached the HC, the court in February 2005 ordered the Government to consider his case favourably within three months.

But when the Government failed to honour the HC order, Mr. Mishra filed a contempt case in July 2005.

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