Bhubaneswar, April 13: Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati has given his assent to the Odisha State Public Universities (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Bill 2026, which has now become an Act and come into force.
The Odisha State Public Universities (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Bill, 2026 was passed in the Assembly on March 31, following extensive discussions that continued late into the night.
With the Governor’s approval, the legislation has now been implemented statewide, marking a significant step in reforming the higher education system in Odisha.
Expressing gratitude to the Governor, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj described the Act as a landmark initiative that will ensure adequate representation of Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) in the higher education sector.
The Minister stated that the Act introduces a major shift in the reservation system by treating each university as a single unit for the purpose of implementing reservation in faculty recruitment. This replaces the earlier department-wise reservation system.
Under the new framework, reservation will be applied in the direct recruitment of faculty positions, including Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors, thereby ensuring equitable representation of reserved categories across universities.
Minister Suraj further informed that several long-vacant Vice-Chancellor posts in state public universities have also been filled recently, with appointments made in 14 universities. He noted that academicians from Odisha have been entrusted with leadership roles, which is expected to strengthen the academic ecosystem in the state.
He expressed confidence that under the leadership of the newly appointed Vice-Chancellors, universities will focus on delivering quality and research-oriented higher education.
The Minister also stated that with the implementation of the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2024 and the Odisha State Public Universities (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Act, 2026, the process of filling vacant teaching positions in state public universities will be expedited.
