Odisha to hire over 40,000 teachers to address long-pending vacancies

44,433 posts to be filled; single school board and free textbooks for Class 9–10 students announced

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government will recruit 44,433 teachers over the next three years, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced. The decision, taken during a review meeting of the School and Mass Education Department at Lok Seva Bhawan, aims to fill vacancies, regularize services, and align with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

According to the plan, nearly 15,000 recruitments will be carried out every year. “This is a priority step toward strengthening the foundation of primary education and meeting NEP requirements,” the Chief Minister said.

At present, Odisha has 45,292 primary schools with 1,60,319 sanctioned teacher posts. However, the state still faces a shortage. As per NEP 2020 guidelines, 39,366 additional posts will be created, while 5,067 vacancies are expected by December 2025.

The Chief Minister emphasized that recruitment would be timely and transparent, ensuring that every classroom is staffed with qualified teachers. He also highlighted plans for regularization of schematic primary school teachers, a long-standing demand from the teaching community.

In a major administrative change, the government has decided to merge the Board of Secondary Education (BSE) and the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE) into a single education board. The reform, officials said, will improve efficiency, strengthen governance, and bring uniformity to Odisha’s school education system.

Expanding student welfare, Majhi announced that free textbooks will now be provided to all Class 9 and 10 students, extending the benefit beyond Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories.

To address health and hygiene in hostels, the government has also decided to appoint Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs), with one multi-purpose health worker for every 300 students. “This will ensure basic healthcare access for students staying away from home,” the Chief Minister said.

A special focus was placed on tribal education and inclusivity. Majhi directed that tribal children should be taught in their mother tongue to improve learning outcomes. A multilingual education center will be established in Koraput in collaboration with the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI).

Further, B.Ed.-qualified teachers will be appointed as resource persons for differently-abled children to strengthen inclusive education.

The government has also taken steps to modernize school governance. The approval process for private schools will be fully digitized, making it more transparent and efficient.

Meanwhile, the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) will be revamped in line with the NCERT framework to improve teacher training and curriculum development. The Directorate of Textbook Publication and Marketing will also be strengthened to ensure timely delivery of quality textbooks.

The review meeting was attended by School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, Chief Secretary Manoj Ahuja, Principal Secretary to the CM Saswat Mishra, Finance Principal Secretary Sanjeev Mishra, School and Mass Education Secretary Shalini Pandit, and other senior officials.

The wide-ranging measures reflect the government’s determination to upgrade Odisha’s school education system with more teachers, better infrastructure, and inclusive practices. By combining large-scale recruitment, structural reforms, and digital interventions, the state hopes to create a stronger education framework in line with NEP 2020.

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