Odisha raises quota for STs, SCs; introduces reservation for OBCs in medical and technical education

The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and will apply across state universities and their affiliated institutions offering professional courses.

Under the new policy, ST reservation will be increased to 22.50% from 12%, while SC reservation will rise to 16.25% from 8% in medical, engineering, and other technical education streams. The government said the newly introduced 11.25% quota for SEBC students will be implemented in technical and medical education institutions across the state.

The move is also aimed at bringing Odisha’s reservation policy closer to national practices. Since the 2015–16 academic year, Central Educational Institutions, including IITs, NITs, IIMs, and IIITs, have implemented 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), except in minority institutions. Additionally, 27% OBC reservation in the All India Quota (AIQ) seats for medical and dental colleges was introduced from the 2021–22 academic session.