Bhubaneswar: As many as 15 minor girls staying in residential hostels in Odisha were reported to have become pregnant during the 2025-26 academic year, an increase from the previous year, according to information provided in the Odisha Assembly.

The figures were shared by School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond in response to a question raised by Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati.

Kandhamal reported the highest number of such cases, with five minor girls, followed by Koraput with four cases during the 2025-26 academic year.

In comparison, nine tribal minor girls staying in hostels across the state were reported to have become pregnant during the 2024-25 academic year.

The issue comes amid continued efforts by the Odisha government to strengthen monitoring and protection mechanisms in residential educational institutions. The state had earlier empowered wardens and matrons of residential hostels under the ST & SC Development and School and Mass Education departments with responsibilities related to preventing child marriages.

4,603 primary schools closed

In another response in the Assembly, the government informed the House that 4,603 primary schools in Odisha have been closed, while 833 schools are being run by a single teacher, according to UDISE+ (Unified District Information System for Education Plus) data cited in the Assembly.

The state also has 374 high schools without headmasters, while a total of 13,903 teacher posts are vacant across government high schools, fully aided schools and newly aided schools.

To address the shortage, the government has engaged 4,264 retired teachers as guest teachers against vacant positions. These retired teachers are being paid a monthly remuneration of Rs 12,000, according to the minister's response.

The issue of teacher vacancies has featured prominently in the government's school education policy. In March 2025, the School and Mass Education Minister had told the Assembly that 6,025 of 40,166 sanctioned high-school teacher posts were vacant at that time and that the government planned to fill 10,000 vacant teaching positions.

The latest figures underline the challenges relating to staffing and supervision in Odisha's school education system, particularly in residential institutions and schools with limited teaching personnel.