Bhubaneswar, 13 April (H.S.): The Odisha State Public Universities (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Act, 2026 has come into force across the state following the assent of Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati.
The legislation was enacted after the Bill was passed in the Odisha Assembly on March 31 following extensive deliberations. With the Governor’s approval, the Act has now been implemented statewide, marking a key reform in Odisha’s higher education framework.
Welcoming the development, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj described the Act as a landmark step aimed at ensuring adequate representation of Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) in faculty positions across public universities.
The Minister said the Act introduces a significant shift by treating each university as a single unit for implementing reservation in teaching posts, replacing the earlier department-wise system. Under the new provisions, reservation will apply to direct recruitment for positions such as Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors, ensuring more balanced representation across institutions.
He further informed that several long-pending vacancies in Vice-Chancellor positions have also been addressed, with appointments made in 14 state public universities. According to him, the appointment of academicians from Odisha to these leadership roles is expected to strengthen the academic environment and governance of universities.
Expressing confidence in the new leadership, the Minister said universities are now better positioned to focus on quality education and research-driven growth.
He added that with the implementation of both 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 is expected to gain momentum in the coming months.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda
