Primary school teachers on Thursday decided to call off their agitation after the state government decided to restructure the cadre of primary school teachers and head masters.

The government decided to create posts of elementary cadre teacher, senior teacher, graduate teacher and senior headmaster as against the existing posts of primary teacher. After a meeting with representatives of the Odisha Primary Teachers Association on Thursday, school and mass education secretary Pradipta Mohapatra said: “The proposal for cadre restructuring of primary teachers was pending for long. Following a go ahead from the chief minister, their demands have been accepted.”

“A number of seats in the levels 2 and 4 of the restructured cadre will be increased so that more teachers get chances of moving up in their career. Steps will be taken to ensure that teachers get at least three promotions during their tenure,” he added. The primary school teachers will get at least three promotions during their full and entire service period.

President of the association Rajesh Mohanty said: “We have finally received some good news. I hope the orders will be implemented at the earliest.”

He claimed that the state government had assured a hike in grade pay to Rs 2,800 from Rs 2,200. The move will benefit around 72,563 primary teachers across the state.

In another development, the hunger strike the Utkal University Teachers’ Association entered its third day on Thursday. After failed discussions with varsity authorities, the association members resumed their protest on Gandhi Jayanti with a relay hunger strike seeking attention of the university authorities towards their longstanding demands.

“We shall continue our protest and shall appeal the chancellor of the university to intervene in the matter. We will also request the teachers’ association of other universities of the state to express their support for our struggle,” said association secretary Kunja Behari Panda.

In another development, block grant teachers have also continued with their strike. They are conducting classes wearing black badges along with the agitation on rotation basis on Mahatma Gandhi Marg here.

Since September 7, thousands of block grant teachers under the banner of Odisha School and College Teachers’ and Employees’ United Forum have been on a cease work. They also observed a black day on September 5demanding immediate fulfillment of their demands.