Odisha Government Enhances Reservation for STs, SCs, and Introduces OBC Quota in Education
Increased Educational Reservations in Odisha
On Sunday, the Odisha administration announced a significant increase in the reservation quotas for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs), along with the introduction of a new quota for Other Backward Classes (OBCs), now termed Socially and Economically Backward Classes, in the fields of medical and technical education.
This decision was made during a cabinet meeting led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
Chief Minister Majhi revealed that the reservation for Scheduled Tribes has been elevated to 22.5%, up from the previous 12%, while the quota for Scheduled Castes has been raised to 16.25% from 8%.
Additionally, an 11.25% reservation has been established for Socially and Economically Backward Classes, who previously did not have any quota in these educational sectors.
The revised reservation system will be applicable across all universities, affiliated colleges, Industrial Training Institutes, and polytechnics, encompassing disciplines such as engineering, medicine, management, computer applications, and related fields.
This new policy will affect both undergraduate and postgraduate programs, as well as other courses designated by the state government.
Majhi explained that the population of Scheduled Tribes in Odisha exceeds 22%, yet the reservation had remained stagnant at 12% for an extended period. He stated, “Thus, we have adjusted it to reflect their actual population proportion.”
He further noted that Scheduled Castes constitute over 17% of the population but were previously allocated only 8% reservation.
According to government estimates, the number of medical seats available for Scheduled Tribes students will increase from 290 to 545, while for Scheduled Castes students, it will rise from 193 to 393 out of a total of 2,421 seats.
In engineering programs, the seats for Scheduled Tribes will grow from 5,349 to 10,030, and for Scheduled Castes, from 3,566 to 7,244.
The government confirmed that the total reservation remains within the 50% limit established by the Supreme Court, which ruled in 1992 that caste-based reservations cannot exceed this threshold.