Bhubaneswar, April 5: The Odisha Cabinet has approved significant changes to the reservation policy for admissions in medical, engineering, and other higher and technical education courses across the state.
Under the new policy, Scheduled Tribes (ST) will receive a reservation of 22.5%, Scheduled Castes (SC) will receive 16.25%, and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) will receive 11.25%.
This revised reservation policy will be applicable to all state universities, affiliated colleges, and institutions, including IITs and polytechnics. It encompasses various subjects such as engineering, technology, management, computer applications, medicine, surgery, dental science, nursing, pharmacy, allied health sciences, veterinary science, Ayurveda, homeopathy, agriculture, allied sciences, architecture, planning, and cinematic arts and technology.
Additionally, the policy will apply to all undergraduate and postgraduate programs that offer certificates, diplomas, and degrees as notified by the state government from time to time.
The government noted that despite the ST population exceeding 22% in Odisha, the reservation for technical, professional, and medical courses had long been limited to 12%. Similarly, the SC population, which constitutes over 17%, was receiving only 8% reservation. Previously, there was no reservation available for SEBC students. This disparity posed challenges to social justice and equal empowerment.
The statement highlighted that over the past 78 years since independence, there have been numerous movements and demands for proportional reservation for these communities, but no government had taken such a step until now.
The government described this initiative as a major step towards safeguarding educational rights and empowering students from ST, SC, and backward communities, expressing confidence that it would contribute significantly to creating a prosperous Odisha.
According to official data, the total number of medical seats at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in the state is 2,421. With the implementation of the new policy, ST seats will increase from 290 to 545, while SC seats will rise from 193 to 393. SEBC students will now have 272 reserved seats, which were previously unavailable.
In the engineering sector, out of a total of 44,579 seats, ST seats will grow from 5,349 to 10,030, and SC seats will increase from 3,566 to 7,244. Under the new reservation policy, SEBC students will receive 5,015 seats, a significant increase from the previous zero.
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