Bhubaneswar: The agitating sikshya sahayaks (para-teachers) have called off their strike after a discussion with the state government on Thursday.

The para-teachers, who have completed six years of service till January 2018, will now be regularised as primary school teachers.

Sources said the decision would benefit around 24,000 para-teachers across the state.

The state government has also assured them of hiking their salary by 25 per cent, according to recommendations of the 7th Pay Commission. The government will provide 40 per cent, and it is expected that the Centre will provide the remaining 60 per cent on the enhanced salary.

"After the assurance of the state government, we have decided to suspend our cease work protests," Odisha Sikshya Sahayak Association president Malay Kumar Jena said.

The state government has accepted four out of the seven-point charter of demands in the past four days. These include salary hike, job regularisation, ex gratia for untimely death and change in nomenclature. "An ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh will be provided to the kin of teachers on their untimely death. Their jobs will also be regularised after six years of service subject to the availability of vacancy," said school and mass education minister Badri Narayan Patra.

Also, the nomenclature of the teachers has been changed from sikshya sahayaks to junior teachers. The para-teachers had launched a protest against the central government till the demands requiring the Centre's approval were not cleared.

"We have apprised the central government about it, and after its approval, the teachers will be paid the revised salary," Patra said.

The sikshya sahayaks teach primary students and receive a consolidated amount every month. They have been agitating since the past few years.