BHUBANESWAR: Facing backlash over omission of Group A services in the notification for Odisha Civil Services Examination-2025, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday directed the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) to include additional 151 vacant posts in the key cadres.
The chief minister’s intervention came in the wake of widespread resentment over the December 31 notification of OPSC that had excluded the vital Odisha Administrative Service (OAS), Odisha Finance Service (OFS) and Odisha Revenue Service (ORS) cadres from the recruitment list.
After reviewing the issue, Majhi directed departments concerned for immediate assessment of existing vacancies and initiation of necessary measures for recruitment to all eligible posts. Acting on his directive, the state government has formally requested OPSC to fill up 151 additional posts, including 14 in OAS, 113 in ORS, 16 in Odisha Transport Service (OTS) and eight in Odisha Welfare Service (OWS).
The inclusion of these posts will significantly expand opportunities for young aspirants preparing for the prestigious civil services examination, Majhi said.
Reiterating the government’s commitment to employment generation, the chief minister stated that recruitment remains one of his highest priorities. He highlighted that nearly 40,000 government positions have been filled over the past 18 months.
He directed all departments to ensure that whenever recruitment examinations are conducted by various commissions, all vacancies existing up to the date of notification must be included, so that no available positions remain unfilled.
The OPSC had notified 314 vacancies in seven services with 104 posts reserved for women. The only Group A service included in it was Odisha Police Service (OPS) with 12 posts. Group B services like the Odisha Taxation and Accounts Service and Odisha Labour Service have 176 and 98 posts respectively. The Odisha Skill Development and Employment Service, Odisha Tourism Service, Odisha Excise Service and Odisha Cooperative Service have 10, eight, six and four posts respectively.
This had led to widespread resentment among aspirants while exposing an utter lack of coordination between departments.