Bharat Bandh today: Odisha declares closure of schools, colleges, universities and technical institutions

Bhubaneswar, Mar 26: The Odisha government on Thursday declared the closure of all educational institutions across the state on March 26 in view of the nationwide Bharat Bandh call given by farmers unions protesting against the Centre''s farm laws.

The Congress and Left parties have announced their support to the 12-hour bandh to be observed from 6 am.

The state''s BJD government has asked its employees to reach offices by 9.30 am on Friday in view of the bandh. The front gates of state secretariat Lok Seva Bhawan will be closed at 10:15 am and all the passage will be regulated through rear gates. Security check of identity cards and passes of the employees and visitors will be intensified, the home department said.

In a notification, the government said that schools, colleges, universities and technical institutions will be closed on Friday in view of the bandh.

The Utkal University authorities announced postponement of Plus III fifth semester exams of Arts/Science/Commerce streams scheduled to be held on Friday. The examinations will now be conducted on March 30.

Farmers'' unions under the banner of Samyukta Kisan Morcha has given the bandh call across the country on March 26 which marks four months of the farmer agitation on Delhi''s three borders -- Singhu, Ghazipur and Tikri.