School& Mass Education Dept,Govt. Of Orissa

This is the local office for the School and Mass Education Department here in Balasore. We have been working out of this building for a long time. It is a government spot, so you will see plenty of files and stacks of paper on every single desk in the room. People come in all day from various schools across the district. Some are teachers asking about their retirement paperwork, and others are just looking for basic information about local classes or grants. The fans on the ceiling hum all day long to try and keep the heat away. We have a few old wooden benches for people to sit on while they wait for their turn. It is a busy place, especially when the new school season is about to start or when the big exams are happening. Our staff members are mostly from right here in Balasore, so we know the local schools and the villages quite well. The office does not have much in the way of style, just plain painted walls and old metal cupboards. We spend a lot of time writing things down in big ledgers by hand. Sometimes the rain gets really heavy during the monsoon and we have to make sure all the windows are shut tight so the documents do not get wet. It is honest work helping the local education system stay on track. We take our lunch breaks together and talk about what is happening in the town.