BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government has formally notified the 15 per cent reservation of seats for government school students in medical and engineering colleges of the State. Issued by the Skill Development and Technical Education department on March 26, the move is aimed at benefiting students of government high schools who do not have the access or the economic capacity to avail coaching for medical and engineering entrance exams. The 15 per cent medical and engineering seats will be reserved for the students who have passed the Class X examination under the Board of Secondary Education and Plus II annual examination conducted by the Council of Higher Secondary Education from any government high school or higher secondary school in the State.
Colleges and institutions where the reserved seats fall vacant, authorities will be allowed to fill those seats with students from other respective categories, the notification read. This move implemented as per Odisha Professional Educational Institutions (Regulations of Admission and Fixation of Fee)- 2007 aims at removing inequalities and help talented students enrolled in government-run institutions to opt for engineering and medical courses, officials said.