Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
Resolution No.3 of the Ministerial Committee on ‘Working of Orissa Official language Act, 1954’ of which I was a member, in its meeting dated 12 January 2016, had called upon the Higher Education Department to fill up all the posts of Oriya teachers lying vacant in Higher Education sans any delay.
With Bhasha Andolan hitting the heart of Bhubaneswar, its Black-Flag-March roaring silently for unfailing use of Oriya language in every establishment dealing with the people of Orissa, the Chief Minister asked his Secretary (Additional Chief Secretary of Orissa) to look into the matter, consequent upon which a high-level meeting under his chairmanship resolved that within 15 days steps would be taken to recruit Oriya Language Teachers against all the vacant posts in Colleges and Universities (Resolution No. 7, Dated 19.4.2016). It was further resolved to create new posts within 15 days to ensure teaching in Oriya in higher education.
Information obtained by Mr. Pradeep Pradhan, Chief of Soochana Adhikar Abhijan, Orissa, reveal that in almost all the colleges , the posts of faculties in Oriya are lying vacant for years together. The Govt. has not taken any steps to fill up the vacancies. Similarly , in all Universities, Post of Professors are also lying vacant.
To quote Mr. Pradhan,
In the midst of continuing public outrage and generated by Language Warriors of Odia Bhasa Andolan ( a frontal organization steering campaign for introduction of and implementation of Odia language as official correspondence language in state administration and demanding provision of penalty for violators) accusing State Govt. for its lackadaisical attitude towards Odia Language and lack of seriousness of Odisha bureaucracy to ensure effective implementation of use of Odia language as official corresponding language in state administration , Chief Minister declared establishment of Odia University in 2018 as show of his commitment and love for Odia Language. The media covered and highlighted this declaration portraying Chief Minister- how he loves so much Odia Language.
>In fact, RTI Application was filed in the Department of higher Education, Govt. of Odsiha seeking information about establishment of Odia University. The information provided by the Dept. shows that how Construction of the infrastructure of Odia University has not yet started , though three years passed.
Secondly, RTI application dt. 15.2.21 Was filed to the Department of Higher Education seeking information about situation of Odia Professor, lecturer in different colleges and Universities. RTI Application was forwarded to all the colleges / Universities to supply the information. within period of two months, 67 Colleges and Universities have supplied the information. Barring few, almost all colleges , the post of Odia Lecturer / Professor is lying vacant for years together. The Govt. has not taken any steps to fill up the vacancies. Similarly , in all Universities, Post of Professor is also lying vacant. Even Odia chair like Satyabadi Chair, Arttabandhu Mohanty Chair is lying Vacant since 1989 and 1998 respectively. Though Kabi Samrat Upendra Bhanja Chair was established in Benaras Hindu University, UP in 2018 with sanction of Rs. 3.8 crore, the Dept. of Culture does not have information whether the any Prof. has got appointment. This is the sorry state of affairs of Odia Language in Odisha.”
The complete RTI exposure is available at Post of Odia Lecturers lying vacant in Colleges and Universities in Odisha
When the Government has thus failed to appoint Oriya teachers in Government Colleges and Universities, its aversion to educating students of Oriya origin in Oriya Language is discernible in in its drive to fill up vacancies in Non-Government Aided Colleges of Orissa. This aversion is displayed in Advertisement No. 005/2021.
Under this advertisement a total number of 972 lecturers shall be recruited in 18 subjects including English, but, not a single recruitment would be made for the Oriya subject. The position was discussed in bhashaandolan.com on December 17, 2020. Several Corrigendum-Notices have been issued on this Ad. But possibility of recruitment for vacant faculty positions in Oriya is conspicuous by its absence in the Ad.
The State Government led by Naveen Patnaik seems determined to kill Oriya language not only by disuse in Offices, but also in academic sphere too.