The All Odisha Block Grant Teachers, who have been staging protest since August 16 to press their demands, will observe Teachers Day as 'Black Day'. Odisha School, College Teachers and Employees' United Forum convenor Pabitra Mahala said the decision was taken as the State Government did not pay heed to the teachers' demands. The forum members said thousands of teachers will join the protest at Mahatma Gandhi Marg here on Wednesday and shut down schools and colleges from September 6.

The agitating teachers said they will gherao MLAs' residences across the State on September 6 and 7 and hold rallies and take out padayatras in every panchayat from September 17 demanding implementation of seventh pay commission recommendations and the new grant-in-aid system which was introduced by the State Government in October last year.

The Odisha Government High School Contract Teachers Association (OGHCTA) has extended its support to the protest. Members of OGHCTA said they too will observe Teachers Day as 'Black Day' to press their demands including 'equal pay for equal work' and regularisation of service.

Meanwhile, in view of the ongoing agitation by the teachers, the State Government has postponed its State and district level award programme for teachers scheduled for Wednesday. "The award programme has been postponed until further communication," the School and Mass Education Department said in a letter to Directors of Higher Education, Secondary Education, Elementary Education, OPEPA and other directorates.