14 Years of Service, Yet an Uncertain Future: MIS and Accountants’ Agitation Enters 29th Day; Education Administration Faces Possible Disruption

SINAPALI, Oct 1: After rendering nearly 14 years of service in the education sector, block-level MIS-cum-Planning Coordinators and Accountant-cum-Support staff continue to seek regularisation, better remuneration and job security. Their long-pending grievances have now turned into a statewide agitation, which entered its 29th day on Thursday. Among those participating in the agitation from Sinapali are MIS-cum-Planning Coordinator Shankarshan Singh Dand Sena and Accountant-cum-Support staff Gupteswar Majhi and Santosh Bandichhor. The employees are demanding an increase in their existing pay structure, payment of Dearness Allowance (DA), time-bound regularisation and assured service security. Employees from Nuapada district have also joined the agitation following the call of their state-level organisation. As a result, the movement is reportedly affecting the functioning of five Block Education Officer (BEO) offices in the district. The role of MIS and Accountant-cum-Support personnel is considered important in the day-to-day digital, financial and administrative functioning of the education department. They have been handling a range of responsibilities related to UDISE, DigiGov, PM POSHAN, PFMS, scholarships, bill preparation, financial transactions and reporting, among other activities. With the agitation continuing for nearly a month, concerns are being raised over the functioning of some offices, particularly routine administrative work, bill processing and financial activities. The prolonged absence of these personnel could also have a cascading impact on school-level administrative operations. With the Dussehra festival approaching, concerns have also been expressed over possible delays in the preparation and processing of teachers’ salaries. If the agitation continues, activities relating to utilisation of funds under various school schemes, reporting and other student-related administrative processes may also face delays. The employees’ organisation has maintained that despite handling significant responsibilities in the education department for the past 14 years, the staff have yet to receive a permanent service structure and remuneration commensurate with their responsibilities. According to the organisation, prolonged uncertainty over their service conditions has led to growing dissatisfaction among employees and eventually prompted them to launch the agitation. As the agitation continues, attention is increasingly focused on its possible impact on the administrative machinery supporting schools across the district. The employees’ organisation has urged the authorities to consider their long-standing demands and initiate steps towards a permanent resolution, while ensuring that essential education-related administrative work does not remain disrupted.