Odisha Teacher Faces Probe for Reporting to School Drunk

Bhubaneswar: A primary school teacher in Harabhanga block of Odisha’s Boudh district is facing disciplinary action for allegedly reporting to duty in an intoxicated condition.

The Block Education Officer (BEO) has withheld a day’s salary and initiated a departmental inquiry into the matter.

The teacher, identified as Suramani Mallik of Jharakhamana Primary School, had reportedly been attending school after consuming alcohol on a regular basis. Complaints alleged that instead of engaging with students in the classroom, he frequently spent time on his mobile phone.

He was also accused of being irregular in attendance, often remaining absent without prior intimation to authorities and following his own schedule rather than official duty hours.

Acting on the complaints, the Harabhanga BEO ordered the withholding of the teacher’s one-day salary and served him with a show-cause notice. He has been directed to submit a written explanation within 30 days, sources said.

Reports further suggested that the school’s headmaster was aware of the teacher’s alleged misconduct, including intoxication during school hours and failure to conduct classes properly. This has raised questions over why corrective action was not taken earlier at the institutional level.

The repeated incidents reportedly disrupted students’ learning and created an unhealthy academic environment, triggering concerns about supervision and accountability in ensuring educational standards in government schools.