Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj presided over a comprehensive review meeting at the Higher Education Department conference hall today to evaluate key academic schemes, ongoing recruitment, and infrastructural initiatives across state universities and colleges.
During the meeting, Minister Suraj reviewed critical agendas including the implementation of the Gyanodaya – KG to PG Free Education Scheme, filling up vacant teaching and non-teaching positions, recruitment exams conducted by the State Selection Board (SSB), and project progress under PM-USHA.
Surge in Undergraduate Admissions
The implementation of the free-education Gyanodaya Scheme from the current academic session has triggered a notable increase in regular undergraduate (UG) admissions. Enrolment rose by 14,758 students compared to the previous academic session—jumping from 1,64,179 to 1,78,937 students.
The impact is most visible in the state’s Aspirational Districts, which recorded the highest admission percentages:
- Kalahandi: 99.09%
- Koraput: 98.82%
- Balangir: 95.57%
- Malkangiri: 95.37%
- Nabarangpur (Nabarangpur/Nuapada region): 94.64%
Creation of New Academic and Administrative Leadership
To strengthen governance and academic leadership, the government created 48 new Principal positions across government degree colleges. With this expansion, all 66 government degree colleges in Odisha now have dedicated sanction positions for Principals, up from just 18 previously.
Furthermore, following a rationalization process aimed at optimizing university administration, 262 new non-teaching posts have been sanctioned across 17 state universities. The newly created positions include:
- Assistant Librarians: 49
- Senior Assistants: 37
- Librarians: 30
- Junior Assistants: 69
- Section Officers: 17
- Senior Librarians: 17
- Assistant Registrars & Administrative Officers: 10 each
- Deputy Controllers of Examinations: 8
- Assistant Controllers of Examinations: 7
- Deputy Registrars: 4
- Budget-cum-Accounts Officers & Physical Education Officers: 2 each
Accelerated Recruitment Drive
Minister Suraj assured that the state is fast-tracking recruitment to address faculty shortages:
- Recruitment for 385 Assistant Professor (Stage-1) posts across 66 government degree colleges is currently underway.
- University-level recruitment drives are processing 1,434 teaching positions (Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor) across 17 universities.
- Over the past two years, the State Selection Board (SSB) completed examinations and declared results for more than 2,800 posts. Additionally, the SSB recently published notifications to fill 1,557 vacancies across various cadres this year.
Commitment to Inclusive Education
Highlighting the vision of “Education for All, Higher Education for All,” Minister Suraj reaffirmed the government’s commitment to delivering accessible, high-quality learning across Odisha. He directed officials to ensure all departmental schemes and PM-USHA infrastructure projects are completed strictly within their target deadlines.
The meeting was attended by Higher Education Commissioner-cum-Secretary Aravind Agrawal, Director Kali Prasanna Mohapatra, and other senior department officials.
