Bhubaneswar: The Odisha BJP government has announced plans to extend the 11.25% reservation for Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC) to professional courses like MBBS and engineering. This decision follows strong criticism from opposition parties, particularly the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which questioned the effectiveness of the quota if it does not cover competitive fields such as medicine and engineering.  
Odisha BJP Plans to Expand 11.25% SEBC Quota for MBBS and Engineering Admissions | Mandal Commission Impact


BJP Defends Decision, Blames Previous Governments 

Odisha BJP president Manmohan Samal responded to the opposition's concerns, stating that past governments—led by the Congress and BJD—failed to implement SEBC reservations in higher education.  
“For years, the Congress and BJD were in power, yet they never introduced SEBC quotas in educational institutions. The BJP has always supported the Mandal Commission’s recommendations, and we have now introduced an 11.25% reservation for SEBC students in higher education. Soon, this will also apply to professional courses like MBBS, engineering, agriculture, and other technical programs,” Samal said during a press conference in Bhubaneswar. 
 
Earlier this month, the BJP government, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, approved an 11.25% quota for SEBC students in state universities and government-funded colleges. However, the initial decision did not include medical and engineering courses, leading to backlash from opposition leaders.  
Odisha BJP Plans to Expand 11.25% SEBC Quota for MBBS and Engineering Admissions | Mandal Commission Impact


BJD Demands Higher Quota, Announces Protests  

BJD leader Arun Sahoo argued that without including MBBS and engineering seats, the reservation policy would have little real impact.  
“General education courses often have many empty seats, so reserving seats there doesn’t help much. The real struggle for SEBC students is getting into competitive fields like medicine and engineering. If the government truly wants to support them, these courses must be included,” Sahoo said.  

The BJD has also announced statewide protests, demanding a 27% reservation for SEBC students—matching the Mandal Commission’s recommendations. Currently, Odisha reserves 12% of seats for Scheduled Tribes (ST) and 8% for Scheduled Castes (SC) in government medical and engineering colleges. If the 11.25% SEBC quota is added, the total reservation will reach 31.25%. 


Government Considers Increasing Seats to Avoid Reducing General Category Opportunities  

To ensure that general category students are not disadvantaged, the state government is considering increasing the number of seats in medical and engineering colleges.  
Odisha currently has around 1,600 MBBS seats and 4,000 engineering seats in government colleges. If the SEBC quota is applied, an additional 180 MBBS seats and 450 engineering seats could be reserved for backward class students.  
SC/ST Minister Nityanand Gond confirmed that the government is working on expanding seat capacity to accommodate the new policy without cutting opportunities for unreserved candidates.  

Congress Supports Quota but Calls for Higher Percentage 

Congress leader Srikant Jena welcomed the idea of extending reservations to professional courses but argued that 11.25% is too low.  
“Odisha is the only state that has not fully implemented the Mandal Commission’s recommendation of 27% reservation for OBCs (or SEBCs in Odisha). The BJP government should increase the quota to meet this standard. Additionally, SC/ST reservations should be raised to 38%, matching their population share in the state,” Jena said.  

BJP Promises Further Action, Including Caste Census  

Samal assured that the BJP is committed to fulfilling its election promises, including conducting a caste census to ensure fair representation for backward classes.  
“The opposition is misleading people after failing to act for decades. The BJP has started the process, and we will ensure justice for SEBC students. Our government will work closely with the party to implement all welfare measures,” he said.  

What Happens Next?  

The Odisha government is expected to make an official announcement soon about extending the SEBC quota to medical and technical courses. Meanwhile, political tensions are rising, with the BJD preparing for large-scale protests while the BJP defends its step-by-step approach.  
This debate highlights the ongoing challenges in implementing affirmative action in education. As the situation develops, SEBC students will be watching closely to see if the new policies improve their chances of securing seats in high-demand courses like MBBS and engineering.