In a bid to tackle rising absenteeism in recruitment examinations and ensure better utilisation of public resources, the Odisha Cabinet has approved a new policy under the GA&PG Department titled “The Odisha Payment of Recruitment Examination Fees and Refund Rules, 2025.”
According to the official brief, the state has observed a troubling trend: a significant number of candidates applying for recruitment exams fail to appear on the day of the test. This has led to increased administrative costs and logistical challenges, with public funds being spent on arrangements for candidates who never show up.
To address this issue, the government has decided to introduce an examination fee for all candidates applying to recruitment exams conducted by state agencies. However, the fee will be fully refunded to candidates who actually appear for the examination. Importantly, candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) categories will be exempted from paying any fee.
Recruiting agencies will determine the exact fee amount, and the refund process will be managed directly by them. The policy is expected to streamline the recruitment process and enhance the overall quality of applications.
The new rules will come into effect starting January 2025.
