By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:The state cabinet today took a major decision on the reservation policy for admissions in medical, engineering, other higher education and technological courses in Odisha. With this decision, the state will get 22.50 percent reservation for Scheduled Tribes, 16.25 percent for Scheduled Castes and 11.25 percent for students belonging to socially and educationally backward classes.
This reservation system will be implemented in all the universities, their affiliated colleges and educational institutions, ITIs and polytechnics in the state offering courses in Engineering, Technology, Management, Computer Applications, Medicine, Surgery, Dental, Nursing, Pharmacy, Allied Health Sciences, Psychiatry, Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Agriculture and Allied Sciences, Architecture, Planning, Cinematic Arts and Technology etc.
In addition, this new reservation system will also be implemented in the field of certificates, diplomas and degrees awarded at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels in any other courses notified by the State Government from time to time.
Here I would like to say that even though the number of Scheduled Tribes in the state is more than 22 percent, for a long time, the reservation for them in technical, professional, medical and allied courses in the state was only 12 percent.
Similarly, although the number of Scheduled Castes was more than 17 percent, there was only 8 percent reservation for them. Similarly, there was no reservation for socially and educationally backward classes. This disparity created problems in the field of social justice and empowerment.
In the 78 years of independence, many movements, demands and awareness have been created to protect the rights of this section of the population and students who are outside the mainstream, but no government has taken such steps to protect them proportionately.
It is a matter of great joy for me personally that under the leadership of the esteemed Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, we have been able to take this important step for the educational rights and empowerment of these ST, SC and backward class children. This step of ours will be a strong means towards building a prosperous Odisha.
It is worth noting that the total number of medical seats in the state, including undergraduate and postgraduate, is 2,421. After the implementation of this new reservation policy, the number of seats for Scheduled Tribes (ST) will increase from 290 to 545.
The number of seats for Scheduled Castes (SC) will increase from 193 to 393. Similarly, 272 seats will be reserved for students from Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC). Earlier, this number was zero.
Similarly, out of the total number of engineering seats in the state, out of 44,579, the number of seats for Scheduled Tribes (ST) will increase from 5,349 to 10,030. The number of seats for Scheduled Castes (SC) will increase from 3,566 to 7,244. Similarly, 515 seats will be reserved for students belonging to Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC). Earlier, this number was zero.
