OPSC examinations will be conducted as scheduled despite the flood situation triggered by Cyclone Arnab in Ganjam district, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said after reviewing the disaster response with SRC Rajesh Prabhakar Patil.
The minister assured aspirants that all necessary arrangements have been made to ensure the smooth conduct of the examinations while the administration continues relief and restoration efforts in affected areas.
Speaking prior to his scheduled visit to the flood-affected areas, Minister Pujari highlighted that Ganjam district has borne the brunt of the floodwaters, with over 43,000 people impacted. Contrary to earlier assessments focusing on Malkangiri, Ganjam and Gajapati have emerged as the most severely affected districts.
The Minister directed officials to ensure immediate relief distribution across all hit areas. Emergency relief is being dispatched via boats alongside provisions for cooked food, while damaged road infrastructure is being repaired on a war footing. To reach remote and marooned populations, air-dropping operations have been scheduled across 21 designated locations in Ganjam district. Key areas targeted for aerial food packet delivery include three locations in Hinjilicut, as well as Purushottampur, Sheragada, Dharakote, Asika, Bhanjanagar municipality, Belaguntha, and Chikiti.
Addressing widespread concerns regarding upcoming state civil services tests, Minister Pujari clarified that the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) examinations will proceed as scheduled. He stated that postponing the exams would delay the entire process by nearly six months.
To ensure no candidate is disenfranchised, local authorities have mapped out affected examinees—approximately 325 from Ganjam and around 100 from other impacted regions. Block Development Officers (BDOs) have been assigned explicit responsibility to facilitate safe transportation for all examinees to their respective test centres.
Reiterating the government’s resolve, the Minister emphasised that state agencies are working round the clock to accelerate rescue operations and deliver timely assistance to every affected citizen.
