Bhubaneswar, Jan. 7 -- As many as 96 teachers appointed at various schools across Odisha are absent from their duty for a long time, informed School and Mass Education (S&ME) Minister Samir Ranjan Dash on Saturday.

"Action has been initiated against near about 96 teachers across the State who are absent since long and there is no information on their whereabouts. They did not respond to repeated notices of the department," Dash said.

Dash said the decision to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the absentee teachers has been taken at a meeting of the department. The absentee teachers had been working as Sikhya Sahayaks under the district Collectors.

Earlier in the day, the S&ME department dismissed two teachers from service and s...