Agitating school teachers lathi-charged in Odisha

Police today resorted to mild lathi-charge to disperse a group of agitating school teachers, who had blocked the entry of other tutors to an exam paper evaluation centre here.

Some of the protesting teachers have been detained for obstructing entry to Capital High School, an evaluation centre for the High School Certification Examination answer sheets, a police officer said.

"There is no law and order problem. We are keeping a close watch on the situation," Bhubaneswar DCP Satyabrata Bhaoi said.

The agitating teachers, under the banner of Odisha School College Teachers' and Employees' United Forum, had earlier said they would boycott the evaluation process, which began from today, and stage demonstrations in front of 57 centres across the state.

The protesters have been demanding publication of notification on withdrawal of compulsory affidavit clause to avail grant-in-aid (GIA).

"Though teachers staged agitation, the answer sheets have been examined in all districts, barring one centre each at Titlagah and Nuapada," said N R Mohanty, Controller of Examination, Board of Secondary Education, Odisha.

School and Mass Education Minister Badri Narayan Patra, however, said that in view of the agitation, alternative arrangements have been made by the state government for evaluation.

The results will be declared as per schedule, he added.