BHUBANESWAR: The state cabinet on Wednesday gave its nod to a uniform reservation framework for teachers’ recruitment across public universities of the state. It will replace the current department-wise reservation system and ensure an equitable process.
The Odisha State Public Universities (Reservation in teachers’ cadre) Ordinance 2025 seeks to establish a uniform reservation system for direct recruitment of teachers in all state public universities. It will treat university as a single unit for implementing reservation in the recruitment of professors, associate professors and assistant professors, chief secretary Manoj Ahuja told mediapersons after the cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
A post-based roster will be maintained for each cadre, ensuring clarity and uniform application of reservation policies across universities. The chief secretary said the reform is expected to enhance representation of SC, ST, SEBC and other eligible groups, simplify administrative procedures and align Odisha’s universities with nationally accepted practices in faculty recruitment.
The cabinet also approved the Utkarsh ITI Yojana under which five government ITIs at Puri, Balangir, Ambaguda in Kalahandi district, Rajkanika in Kendrapara district and Rourkela will be upgraded. The scheme has been introduced to make ITIs competitive and deliver future-ready skills aligned with emerging industry needs with robust skilling eco-system.
Besides, the tender valued at Rs 167.33 crore for execution of four lift irrigation projects under Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme to create irrigation potential of 6,480 hectare in Jharsuguda district was also approved. Another tender of Rs 154.72 crore for construction of underground pipeline irrigation system in Kalahandi district too received the cabinet’s nod.
Besides, another tender of Rs 176.87 crore for construction of four lift irrigation points by lifting water from Hirakud dam with irrigation potential for 6,360 hectare in Jharsuguda was also approved.
The chief secretary said the cabinet gave its nod to Rs 345 crore outlay for development of birthplaces of 25 distinguished sons of the soil in the first phase. The second phase of the scheme will be implemented subsequently, he added.