Politics · India Bureau
Odisha waives admission fees for SC, ST students in government colleges
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced on Monday that Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students will be exempt from paying admission fees at state-run medical and engineering institutions. The move aims to ease financial burdens on meritorious candidates from disadvantaged communities.
LSN India ·
The Odisha government has directed that SC and ST students seeking admission to government medical and engineering colleges will not be required to pay any fees at the time of admission or for six months thereafter. Chief Minister Majhi made the announcement following reports that many qualified candidates from these communities faced financial hardship despite securing positions through competitive entrance examinations.
The decision addresses a significant barrier that has prevented talented students from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes from pursuing higher education in professional fields. By eliminating upfront admission charges and extending fee waivers for half a year, the state government aims to ensure merit-based selection translates into genuine educational access for underprivileged communities.
The Odisha administration is expected to issue formal guidelines implementing the new fee waiver policy in the coming weeks. The move represents an effort to strengthen educational equity in the state's premier technical and medical institutions, where SC and ST representation has historically lagged behind general category students due to socioeconomic constraints.