In a major relief after a prolonged legal battle, the Orissa High Court has directed the state government to reinstate 15 employees who lost their jobs following the closure of the State Institute of Educational Technology (SIET) in 2013.
SIET, established in 1980 under the State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT), played a pivotal role in promoting audio-visual tools for school education. It was granted autonomous status by the Odisha government on January 1, 1990, following a central government recommendation. Before its inception, the Centre had approved 120 posts, and later, 118 positions were sanctioned under the INSAT scheme.
However, on April 29, 2013, the Odisha government abruptly shut down SIET, leaving many employees jobless. While 63 staff members were absorbed into other government departments on the grounds of being on deputation, 15 employees were left out—prompting them to file a legal petition on May 7, 2013.
Delivering his verdict on April 25, 2025, Justice Sashikanta Mishra ruled in favor of the petitioners. The court directed the government to redeploy them in suitable posts across departments or directorates and preserve their service tenure and employment benefits. The government has three months to comply with the order from the date of communication or certified copy submission.
Justice Mishra emphasized that all petitioners were permanent employees appointed post-1990, having served over two decades. He deemed it unjust to deny them the same absorption opportunity that others had received.
The verdict marks a crucial win for the petitioners and sets a precedent on equity in employment treatment within government bodies.
