Bhubaneswar, Sept 19: The Orissa High Court has directed the State Government to reappoint a high school teacher, terminated after over two decades of service, within three months, cautioning authorities to shed the “Macaulay Mindset” and colonial hangover while addressing citizen grievances.
The case involves Ramesh Chandra Parida, appointed as a Hindi teacher in December 1991, who was terminated in 2004 for alleged unauthorized absence. Following a challenge, the Supreme Court directed his reinstatement, rendering the petitioner, Binodini Nayak, who had served over twenty years, temporarily jobless.
Though the District Education Officer, Balasore, recommended reappointing Nayak to a vacant post in August 2024, the Department of Secondary Education initially rejected the proposal.
Justice Dixit Krishna Shripad, emphasizing the constitutional duty of the state as a welfare entity, observed: “Authorities cannot mindlessly pass orders that strike at law, reason, and justice. Human difficulties generated through no fault of citizens must be mitigated within the framework of law.” Quoting Jeremy Bentham, the judge warned that failure to act fairly risks reducing the government to “nothing but a band of robbers.”
The court concluded that the teacher must be reinstated within three months, urging statutory authorities to act with fairness, reason, and justice while discarding outdated colonial attitudes.