Odisha Govt Tables Teacher Cadre Reservation Ordinance for State Universities

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Wednesday introduced the Odisha State Government Universities (Reservation in Teacher Cadre) Ordinance, 2025 in the Legislative Assembly.

Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj presented the ordinance during the afternoon session, following Cabinet approval on December 24, 2025.

The ordinance mandates that each university will be treated as a single unit for implementing reservation in direct recruitment of teaching posts, including Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors.

The reservation policy will cover SC, ST, SEBC, and PwD categories, ensuring equitable representation across all government universities.

However, the ordinance exempts Centres of Excellence, Research Centres, and nationally reputed institutions from its purview.

A related bill is expected to be introduced during the current Assembly session to give legislative backing to the ordinance.

The move is aimed at aligning Odisha’s higher education institutions with national-level reservation norms, while also addressing long-standing demands for inclusivity in faculty recruitment.