Members of All India Democractic Students’ Organisation and Purusha Commission protest near Assembly on Friday. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

All India Democratic Students’ Organisation

Members of the organisation held a demonstration on Friday demanding immediate withdrawal of proposed reforms in the Plus Two exam system. The reforms include providing a 32-page answer booklet to examinees and discontinuing the use of additional sheet. The protestors reasoned that students, who are about to appear for their board exams in March 2014, had appeared for tests in the old format and any changes at this juncture would hamper their results.

GOVT’S TAKE: It will strictly implement exam reforms

Odisha Kala Mahavidyalaya and Employees’ Association

Nearly 200 teaching and non-teaching employees of Dhauli Kala Mahavidyalaya, Balasore Kala Mahavidyalaya, Bhadrak Kala Mahavidyalaya, Kalayataana (Sundergarh), Sri Aurobindo College (Keonjhar) and Guru Harekrushna Behera Arts and Culture College (Balasore) are demanding government grant- in-aid. At present, these colleges are surviving on paltry assistance from the local management. Most of the lecturers in the colleges are alumni of reputed art colleges of the state and country. Five art colleges and one music college come under the association. They have also asked for financial assistance for promotion of art in the state.

GOVT’S TAKE: Yet to respond to their demands

Purusha Commission

Nearly 50 members under the leadership of advocate Byomakesh Tripathy are on a dharna, demanding establishment of a Purusha Commission for protection of men against physical torture and domestic violence at the hands of their wives. Referring to a story published in The Telegraph’s Calcutta edition on July 24, 2010, which highlighted the suicide of one Prashant Kumar Ghosh, 71, who blamed his daughter-in-law for the drastic step. He had written that he decided to end his life “to save thousands of husbands and their family members from the hands of cruel women like her”.

GOVT’S TAKE: Yet to take note of it

All Odisha Second Eligible High Schools Between 2003-2007

Nearly 200 teachers working in nearly private 70 high schools across the state are members of the organisation. They are demanding grant-in-aid from the government. They are on a dharna since November 4. Nearly 1,000 students are studying in these schools.

GOVT’S TAKE: Examining their demands

All Odisha Plus Two Vocational Teachers’ Association

Government opened 231 government vocational junior colleges in the state as sanctioned by the Centre. The teachers got proper appointments, but their jobs are yet to be regularised. These teachers are getting a meagre monthly remuneration of Rs 9,300 per month despite having put in 23 years of service. Around 10,000 students enrol in 20 different trades each year under the programme. They are also demanding infrastructure such as classrooms, laboratories and libraries on a priority basis.

GOVT’S TAKE: Yet to entertain them

Association of legal heirs of teachers of odisha primary and secondary schools who passed away before 1990

They are demanding appointment as teachers and staff members under the rehabilitation programme. They have been staging dharnas during every Assembly session since 2002.

GOVT’S TAKE: Yet to consider their demands

All Odisha Computer and Tailoring Teachers’ Association

The 3,000-member group is demanding regularisation of their salaries, making computer and tailoring compulsory subjects in schools, and supply of equipment to campuses. They have been raising the issue since 2010 but have failed to persuade the government to accept their demands

GOVT’S TAKE: It is examining the matter

Text by Subhashish Mohanty