Did Odisha Cabinet Approve 11.25% Reservation for SEBC Students?

Bhubaneswar, May 14 (NationPress) The Odisha Cabinet convened on Wednesday to approve a reservation of 11.25 percent for students belonging to the Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC) in admissions to Higher Secondary and Higher Education Courses within the state, set to take effect from the academic year 2025-26.

This decision was made during a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

After the meeting, the Chief Minister addressed the press, confirming the Cabinet's decision to implement 11.25 percent reservation for SEBC students in admissions.

He further emphasized that this policy will be uniformly applied across all State Public Universities, as well as government and aided higher secondary and higher education institutions starting in the 2025-26 academic year.

Terming the Cabinet's decision as historic, the Chief Minister stated, “This is a pivotal move by the Odisha government towards social justice, especially benefiting economically disadvantaged individuals.”

The Chief Minister claimed that the current government has restored the constitutional rights of backward classes that were overlooked by previous administrations.

According to the official press release, this initiative ensures consistent implementation of admissions reservations across various groups, including ST (22.5 percent), SC (16.25 percent), SEBC (11.25 percent), PwD (5 percent), and ESM (1 percent) in all State Public Universities and government-supported institutions.

“In alignment with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, this initiative is designed to bolster access, equity, and inclusion in education, while also improving the Gross Enrolment Ratio and creating opportunities for marginalized communities throughout Odisha,” the Chief Minister noted.

In another significant move, the Cabinet also sanctioned the launch of the 'MAMATA' scheme, a conditional cash transfer program for maternity benefits, in conjunction with the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), branded as 'MAMATA-PMMVY', effective from April 1.

Previously, beneficiaries received Rs 10,000 for the birth of a girl child under the MAMATA scheme. Now, with MAMATA-PMMVY, this amount has increased to Rs 12,000.

It was also announced that women from the Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) will receive Rs 12,000 for the birth of a girl and Rs 10,000 for a boy. Additionally, Anganwadi Workers (AWWs) and Anganwadi Helpers (AWHs) will see their incentives rise to Rs 250 and Rs 150 respectively under the new scheme.

Eligibility for the PMMVY scheme will also apply to MAMATA-PMMVY. The state government aims to allocate around Rs 2,670 crores over the next five years for this initiative. Other departmental proposals were also approved during the Cabinet meeting.