Bhubaneswar: Higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj on Monday informed that the Odisha State Public Universities (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Act, 2026, has come into force in the state.The Odisha State Public Universities (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Bill, 2026, was passed in the assembly on March 31, and after receiving the governor’s approval, the Act has been enforced across the state.It will ensure representation of Scheduled Tribes (ST), Scheduled Castes (SC) and SEBC categories in the higher education system, said higher education minister Suryabanshi Suraj. “For the purpose of implementing reservation in the recruitment of professors, associate professors and assistant professors in state public universities, each university will be treated as a single unit. The department-wise reservation system has been abolished. This will help ensure representation of these categories in direct recruitment to various teaching positions,” he explained.The minister also stated that with the implementation of the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, 2024, and the Odisha State Public Universities (Reservation in Teachers’ Cadre) Act, 2026, the process of filling up vacant teaching posts in state public universities will be expedited.
