HC orders BSE to ensure Lodging, Food for Long Distance Evaluators

On Friday, Orissa High Court disposed of two writ petitions following assurances from the state government and the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), Odisha, that all precautionary measures will be taken as per the COVID-19 guidelines to allay the apprehensions of teachers engaged in evaluation of matriculation examination answer scripts.

The High Court nevertheless asked the government and the board to ensure proper accommodation and food for those teachers who will be traveling more than 10 km from their home to the evaluation centers. The Board has set up only 60 centers across the state for evaluation of answer scripts by around 2000 teachers that had resume from May 20.

Apprehending that COVID-19 guidelines would be violated by congregation of teachers at the evaluation centers and during traveling to the evaluation centers every day, some teachers had approached the High Court for judicial intervention.

At least two writ petitions were filed in this regard and the bench of Justice Biswanath Rath adjudicated over them jointly.

Observing that the apprehensions of the petitioners with regard to traveling, accommodation, and congregation cannot be just lost sight of, the HC directed the state and the Board to ensure that accommodation, food, and other related aspects are properly addressed for those teachers who would be traveling long distances for the evaluation work.

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