BJD Demands 27% Reservation for OBC Students in All Educational Institutions, Govt Empowerment

Bhubaneswar: Opposition Biju Janata Dal on Wednesday demanded immediate implementation of a 27% reservation for Other Backward Classes (OBCs) students in all educational institutions, including engineering and medical colleges, and in government employment.

The BJD leaders, including MPs and MLAs, submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Odisha at Raj Bhavan in this regard.

The BJD criticized the state government’s recent 11.25% reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) in higher education as inadequate, noting its exclusion of medical and engineering colleges.

The BJD leaders argue that Odisha must align with the Central Government and other states, which provide a 27% OBC reservation in technical and professional education.

The memorandum also highlights disparities in reservations for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Scheduled Castes (SCs), who represent 22.5% and 16.25% of Odisha’s population, respectively. Their current 12% (ST) and 8% (SC) reservations in technical, medical, and engineering colleges total only 20%, falling short of the 38.75% provided in other higher education sectors.

The BJD leaders urged the Governor to ensure a uniform 27% OBC reservation across all educational institutions, including vocational and professional courses, and to revise ST and SC reservation percentages to reflect their demographic share.

The BJD reiterated that it has always stood for inclusive development and upliftment of marginalized communities.