BHUBANESWAR: Large vacancies notwithstanding, technical and professional institutions in the State will be allowed a 25 per cent increase in seats for implementation of the 10 per cent reservation for students belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS). Sources in Odisha Joint Entrance Examinat ion (OJEE) committee said the enhancement will be done in conformation with the notification of Skill Development and Technical Education department and AICTE approval process handbook 2022-23 to accommodate the EWS reservation. It will apply to all state university departments as well as technical and professional institutes, both government and private.
The increase in seats may only multiply vacancies woes in private engineering and technical institutes though it will help more students belonging to EWS category to get admission under the reservation system in the State. Odisha has around 32,000 seats in BTech in 86 colleges and institutes of which 4,000 are in government colleges.
If institutions enhance the intake by 25 pc, the number will go up to 40,000. OJEE sources said around 60 per cent seats had fallen vacant in engineering and technical institutions last year. While 88 per cent seats were filled in eight governmentrun engineering institutions, only 36 per cent seats were filled after OJEE counselling in private institutes.
“The vacancy will surely go up given the enrollment rate of recent years. The institutions, however, may get a few more seats filled up through the reservation,” an OJEE Committee official said. Process for admission into undergraduate and postgraduate courses has already started in the State. The OJEE sources said, technical and professional universities and institutions have already been asked to take measures as the AICTE calendar for 2022-23 academic session fixed October 10 as the last date for commencement of induction programme for the first year students of technical courses.