The Odisha government has increased reservation quotas for marginalized communities in professional education. The new policy takes effect for the 2026-27 academic session . This impacts admissions to medical, technical, pharmacy, and management programs.
Reservation Increases Announced
The state notification details higher reservation percentages. Scheduled Tribe (ST) reservation rises from 12% to 22.5%. Scheduled Caste (SC) reservation increases from 8% to 16.25%. Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs) will receive an 11.25% reservation.
Applicable Courses and Institutions
The revised reservation applies to a broad range of professional courses. This includes engineering, technology, management, medicine, and dental sciences. Pharmacy, nursing, and veterinary sciences programs are also included. Agriculture, architecture, polytechnics, and ITIs fall under the new policy. The policy covers institutions under various state government departments.
Implementation Details
The government will implement the revised policy uniformly across all state professional educational institutions. Seats allocated under the All India Quota are exempt. Existing horizontal reservations will continue. Provisions for economically weaker sections, persons with disabilities (PwDs), and ex-servicemen remain unchanged.
Reservation Quotas
| Category | Previous Reservation | New Reservation |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 12.00% | 22.50% |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 8.00% | 16.25% |
| Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) | N/A | 11.25% |
