Odisha Overhauls Reservation Policy for Medical and Technical Education Bhubaneswar, April 18, 2026

In a landmark policy shift aimed at fostering greater inclusivity, the Government of Odisha has announced a significant enhancement to reservation quotas for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), and the Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC/OBC) in medical and technical education. The decision, finalized during a recent cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, marks a pivotal moment in the state’s efforts to ensure equitable access to professional and higher education.

For years, the mismatch between the demographic representation of these communities and their presence in high-demand fields like medicine and engineering has been a subject of concern. While the ST population in Odisha exceeds 22%, their representation in professional seats previously stood at only 12%. This systemic gap has now been addressed by raising the ST quota to 22.50% and increasing the SC quota from 8% to 16.25%.

Perhaps most notably, the government has introduced an 11.25% reservation for SEBC/OBC students, a category that previously lacked dedicated quota support in many professional streams. The impact of this policy is immediate and substantial: for instance, in undergraduate and postgraduate medical admissions, the number of seats available for ST students is projected to nearly double, providing a vital pathway for aspiring doctors from tribal heartlands. Similarly, the engineering sector will see thousands of additional seats reserved for SC and ST candidates, ensuring that merit is supported by opportunity.

The new reservation system is not limited to a single domain but encompasses universities, affiliated colleges, ITIs, and polytechnics across the state. This comprehensive approach covers diverse fields, including management, computer applications, surgery, dental, nursing, pharmacy, and allied health sciences.

CM Majhi emphasized that this move is not merely a bureaucratic adjustment but a commitment to social justice, ensuring that students from marginalized backgrounds are not left behind in the rapidly evolving knowledge economy. By aligning the reservation percentages with the actual demographic proportions, the state government aims to build a more diverse and representative professional workforce. As the 2026-27 academic session approaches, educational institutions are already recalibrating their admission portals and counseling frameworks to integrate these new mandates, setting a new benchmark for inclusive governance in India.