Bhubaneswar, Mar 30: Odisha is witnessing a remarkable surge in interest for the Bachelor of Education (B.Ed) programme, as students across the state rush to secure admissions. The online application process for the B.Ed entrance examination already began on March 23 and will continue till April 6. Within the first seven days, applications have already far exceeded the number of available seats.

According to data from the Student Academic Management System (SAMS), Odisha has 31 institutions offering B.Ed courses, with a total of 2,800 seats. Between March 23 and 29, more than 29,300 students submitted online applications, with over 27,000 completing the online payment process.

The B.Ed entrance examination is scheduled for May 31, while the M.Ed and B.H.Ed entrance exams will take place on June 3.

Several tribal-majority districts, including Malkangiri, Nabarangpur, Rayagada, and Koraput, currently lack sufficient B.Ed institutions. To address this gap, students from Ravenshaw University, including PhD scholar Rajesh Bagarti, have written to the Chief Minister, Higher Education Minister, and Secretary, urging the establishment of B.Ed infrastructure and the introduction of four-year Integrated B.Ed (ITEP) programmes in these districts.

In response, the Higher Education Department confirmed in a February letter that steps will be taken to implement the proposal. The new integrated four-year B.Ed (ITEP) courses are expected to commence soon, aiming to expand access to teacher education and strengthen the quality of education in Odisha.