Kataka Sadar: The state government is yet to compile a list of government schools without their own land, even 18 months after the School and Mass Education department sought the required information from all district education officers (DEOs).
Several government schools across Odisha are functioning on land classified as ‘gochar’ (grazing land), ‘debottar’ (endowment land) and riverbed land.
As a result, revenue authorities have been unable to issue permanent land records in the names of the schools, despite applications from their managing committees seeking regularisation of the land. Seeking information under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, an applicant had sought details of the number of government schools in the state that do not have land of their own.
Subsequently, School and Mass Education Department Under Secretary Sudam Behera, through letter No. 4453/53/12/2/2025, directed all DEOs to furnish the required information.
However, even after 18 months, the information has reportedly not been compiled. The Kataka DEO’s office, too, has been unable to provide details of the schools without their own land. As per the existing requirement, before a new high school is established, local residents are required to donate land in the school’s name — two acres in rural areas and one acre in urban areas.
The school can subsequently receive government recognition. In Kataka Sadar block, land on which Dharina High School, Praharajpur High School, Garasuni Vidya Mandir and Nahakani High School are located, has been classified as grazing, irrigation and endowment land. Applications were made for changing the classification of the land and issuing land records in the names of the respective schools.
However, the Kishannagar tehsildar is yet to issue the required land records. When contacted, Kataka DEO Nityananda Barik did not offer a specific response and asked the reporters to “write whatever you want”. Meanwhile, a senior education official, speaking on condition of anonymity, alleged that forged land deeds had been submitted in some cases to obtain government approval for schools.
The official claimed that then MLAs, politicians and MPs had exerted pressure on the government to secure approval for the schools and that little could now be done to rectify the irregularities.