In a landmark move toward educational equity, the Odisha government has officially approved a significant hike in reservation quotas for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) in medical and engineering colleges. This decision, aimed at aligning professional education with the state’s broader social justice framework, will see seat reservations nearly double for marginalized communities starting from the 2026-27 academic session.
The New Seat Matrix: Understanding the Numbers
For years, the reservation for SC and ST students in Odisha’s professional courses—including BTech, MBBS, BDS, and other technical streams—remained at 8% and 12%, respectively. Under the new policy, these figures have been adjusted to bring uniformity across all departments of the state government.
Category Old Reservation New Reservation
Scheduled Caste (SC) 8% 16.25%
Scheduled Tribe (ST) 12% 22.50%
SEBC (OBC) 0% 11.25%
Total Reserved 20% 50%
This policy change applies to all state-run and state-funded institutions offering BTech, MBA, MCA, MTech, MBBS, Dental, Pharmacy, Ayurveda, and Homeopathy courses. Notably, nursing and diploma engineering courses, which already followed the higher 16.25% and 22.5% slabs, will remain unchanged.
Aligning with the National Education Policy 2020
The decision follows recommendations from the Policy Planning Committee of the Skill Development and Technical Education (SDTE) department. By doubling the SC/ST quotas and introducing the SEBC quota, the state government is aligning its professional education sector with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
The move is designed to enhance the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) among marginalized communities. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s administration has emphasized that this justice was long overdue, especially for the SEBC category, which constitutes a significant portion of the state's population but previously lacked dedicated seats in high-demand professional streams.
Impact on OJEE 2026 and Medical Admissions
The implementation of this new seat matrix will begin with the 2026-27 academic year. This means students appearing for the Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) 2026 and those seeking admission via NEET for state quota seats will be the first to benefit from the expanded reservation.
Beyond the quotas, the government has also proposed moving the counseling and merit list preparation for nursing courses (ANM and GNM) to the OJEE cell to ensure greater transparency and a centralized process.
A Step Toward Equity
While the move has been welcomed by many as a vital step toward social inclusion, it also sets the stage for a more competitive landscape in the general category. Educationists suggest that the increase in reserved seats must be accompanied by an increase in the total number of seats in government colleges to ensure that opportunities for all students continue to grow.
By implementing these changes, Odisha joins the ranks of states actively restructuring their reservation policies to reflect modern demographic realities and educational goals.