OTET exam: Over 75,000 primary teachers to take mandatory test today following BSE paper leak scandal

More than 75,000 in-service primary school teachers across Odisha are expected to appear for the mandatory Odisha Teacher Eligibility Test (OTET) on Saturday, following Supreme Court directives that made the qualification compulsory for their service.

The large-scale participation, however, has left many schools temporarily understaffed, raising concerns over the conduct of student examinations, mid-day meal arrangements, and other essential school activities.

Schools Strain Under Staff Shortage

According to reports, several schools are left without teachers as nearly their entire staff are due to sit for the test. To address the crisis, the Odisha government arranged for the emergency deployment of teachers from nearby institutions to manage exam supervision, meal distribution, and other routine operations.

The timing has added to the challenge, as many schools are conducting internal examinations for students simultaneously.

Fallout of Earlier Exam Cancellation

Notably, this test comes after weeks of uncertainty. The Special OTET-2025, originally scheduled for July 20, had to be abruptly cancelled the previous night after alleged images of exam papers surfaced on social media.

Over 75,000 candidates had reached their centres then, only to be met with last-minute notices of cancellation pasted outside examination halls. The incident triggered outrage across the teaching community.

In the aftermath, the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), Odisha, transferred six officials from key confidential and coordination sections in an internal reshuffle. The move was presented as a measure to strengthen exam-related branches, but critics questioned whether it adequately addressed the issue of paper security.