Odia Bhasa Pratisthan remains far from its goal

SOUMYARANJAN ROUT, OP

Bhubaneswar: The Odia Bhasa Pratisthan, which was established with an aim to play a key role in enriching and promoting the Odia language, is currently appears to be far from achieving its objectives. The institute is functioning amid several shortcomings, particularly a severe shortage of regular employees. Its day-to-day operations are largely dependent on contractual staff. Of the 17 employees currently working at the institute, not a single one is a regular employee. Although the institute functions under the Odia Language, Literature and Culture department, it has allegedly not received adequate attention.

Its administrative and management systems remain far from satisfactory. At a time when the new government has been emphasising the use of Odia in official government work, concerns have been raised over the lack of attention to the infrastructure and human resources of the very institution responsible for promoting the language. This has raised questions over the future and functioning of the Odisha Language Institute. Concerns have also been raised over the government’s overall attention to the Culture department. The institute has been functioning since 2006, but its administrative system has remained largely unchanged. Even after 19 years, questions continue to persist over its functioning and working style.

The institute initially functioned under the School and Mass Education department before being brought under the Culture department in 2015. From 2015 to 2026, the institute has not had a permanent director, and the post continues to remain vacant. Employees who have been working at the institute for years have also reportedly neither received promotions nor been regularised. The institute was earlier functioning from Sanskruti Bhawan but has now been shifted to Kharavela Bhawan. While its address has changed, there has been little change in its functioning. Members of the public also face difficulties in visiting the institute for official work.