The state government has issued formal notification for 15 per cent reservation of government school students in medical and engineering colleges of the state.

In a notification, the Skill Development and Technical Education department stated that the move has been implemented for the benefit of those studying in government high schools as they have been found to be at a disadvantage position compared to their counterparts in private schools while appearing in entrance examinations such as NEET and JEE as they do not have the access nor the economic capacity to avail coaching for medical and engineering entrance.

The reservation will be implemented horizontally covering all vertical reservations as well as the unreserved groups. The 15 per cent medical and engineering seats will be reserved for the students who have passed the Class X examination under the Board of Secondary Education and Plus II annual examination conducted by the Council of Higher Secondary Education from any government high school or higher secondary school in the state.

The medical courses include MBBS, BDS, BHMS, BAMS, BSMS and BUMS, while the engineering courses include BTech, BE and BArch. Colleges and Institutes where the reserved seats fall vacant, authorities will be allowed to fill those seats with students of other respective categories, the notification read. This move implemented as per Odisha Professional Educational Institutions (Regulations of Admission and Fixation of Fee)- 2007 aims at removing inequalities and help talented students enrolled in government-run institutions to opt for engineering and medical courses, officials said.