Govt to recruit PGT teachers for Plus II colleges

BHUBANESWAR: The state government has decided to recruit post graduate teachers (PGT) for all higher secondary schools from this academic session through Odisha Public Services Commissions or Odisha Staff Selection Commission, official sources said. The PGT candidates have both post graduate and B.Ed degrees.
"Almost all Plus II colleges borrow teachers from degree collegs. These teachers will now be sent back to the department and new PGTs will be appointed for higher secondary schools," said school and mass education secretary P K Mohapatra.There are 1,590 higher secondary schools in the state affiliated to the Council of Higher Secondary Education (CHSE).
He said the number of teachers to be recruited will be decided on the basis of requirement and subject-wise need. "We have already started the process of chalking out the criteria for selection and other policy works for the PGT recruitments. We are trying to complete the recruitment process by the beginning of the academic session," he added.
The state government has also decided to rename all junior colleges in Odisha as higher secondary schools. A school ambience will be created in these junior colleges for which some changes has to be brought about in the system. For example, there will be 220 working days instead of 180 in a year, no students' union elections and introduction of extra-curricular activities, official sources said. The state government had separated Plus II or junior colleges from degree colleges in 2016.