Bhubaneswar, Feb. 17: The school and mass education department today directed all headmasters and district education officers to ensure smooth conduct of examinations and evaluation of answer sheets.

Director of secondary education Ratnakar Rout wrote a letter to the district education officers asking them to take legal action against employees who refuse to take up their duty under sections 8 and 9 of the Orissa Conduct of Examinations Act 1988.

The letter is seen as attempt to bring striking teachers, who have threatened not to take part in the matriculation examination, in line.

It also directed the officers to work out a contingency plan to involve upgraded middle English and primary school teachers for invigilation duty to avoid any disturbance in conducting the exams.

On Tuesday, the department had issued a notification to all district education officers directing them to "remain alert" and issue necessary instructions to the headmasters concerned not to allow any contractual teachers to take leave during the period. It also threatened disciplinary measures against the teachers who refuse to take part in the examination process.

The exam is scheduled to commence from February 22.

The All Odisha Contract Teachers' Association today withdrew their agitation and agreed to take part in the matriculation examination following a meeting with school and mass education minister Debi Prasad Mishra.

However, the striking block grant high school teachers demanding abolition of block grant system have announced not to take part in examination or evaluation of answer sheets unless their demands are met.

"We urged the teachers to co-operate in the upcoming high school certificate examination for the interest of students. We are considering their demands, but we cannot do everything overnight," said Mishra. The contract teachers have been demanding regularisation for those who have completed six years of continuous service, grade pay of Rs 2,800 to physical education trainers, implementation of transfer scheme, sanction of 15 days' leave to teachers and reinstatement of all 3,760 retrenched contractual teachers by March 8.

Contract teachers' association secretary Pradipta Pradhan said the decision to call off the strike was taken following assurances by the minister.