Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Public Universities (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Act, 2026, has come into force across the state after receiving assent from Governor Dr. Hari Babu Kambhampati.
The legislation was enacted after the Odisha State Public Universities (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Bill, 2026, was passed in the Assembly on March 31, following detailed discussions that continued late into the night.
With the governor’s approval, the Act has now been implemented statewide, marking a key step in higher education reform in Odisha.
Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj welcomed the development and described the Act as a landmark initiative aimed at ensuring adequate representation of Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes, and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes in the higher education system.
He said the Act introduces a major shift in the reservation framework by treating each university as a single unit for faculty recruitment, replacing the earlier department-wise system.
Under the new system, reservations will apply to direct recruitment of Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors, ensuring fair representation of reserved categories across universities.
The minister also informed that several long-pending vice-chancellor posts in state public universities have been filled, with appointments made in 14 universities. He said academicians from Odisha have been given leadership responsibilities to strengthen the academic ecosystem.
Suraj expressed confidence that the newly appointed vice-chancellors will focus on improving quality and research-oriented higher education.
He further said that with the implementation of the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2024, and the new reservation Act, the process of filling vacant teaching posts in state public universities will be expedited.
