The Odisha State Public Universities (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Act, 2026, officially took effect across the state on Monday after Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati granted his assent to the new legislation.
Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj stated that the enforcement of this new law will accelerate the recruitment process for vacant teaching roles within state public universities.
The Minister noted that the Act was enacted after the Odisha State Public Universities (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Bill, 2026, received Assembly approval following a rigorous debate that lasted until late on the night of March 31.
Extending his thanks to the Governor, Suraj hailed the Act as a historic move designed to guarantee fair representation for Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC), and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) in higher education, calling it a major systemic reform.
A key feature of the Act, according to the Minister, is the shift to treating an entire university as a single unit for reservation purposes, moving away from the previous system of department-specific quotas.
The updated framework applies reservations to direct recruitment for Professors, Associate Professors, and Assistant Professors, aiming to ensure an equitable distribution of faculty positions across all categories.
Additionally, the Minister mentioned that the government has recently addressed leadership gaps by appointing Vice-Chancellors to 14 different state public universities.
Suraj 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.
