Row over 11.25 per cent quota for SEBC students in higher education in Odisha

A day after the Odisha government announced 11.25 per cent reservation for students from Socially and Economically Backward Class (SEBC) in higher education, the state's three major political parties on Thursday accused each other of denying social justice to a large section of the population.

- PBD BUREAU/PTI

Both the opposition BJD and Congress came down heavily on the state's BJP government, accusing it of not making any provision of reservation for SEBC students in technical education such as engineering and medical studies.

The BJP rejected the allegation and claimed that it is the first government in Odisha which has made provision for SEBC students.

"There was zero per cent reservation for SEBC students in higher education during the previous BJD government's 24-year rule. This is the first time 11.25 per cent reservation has been provided. Those who denied this earlier have no moral right to criticise the BJP government," Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj told reporters.

Asked why the reservation wasn't raised to the 27 per cent mark as in other states Suraj said, "There is a Supreme Court cap preventing states from exceeding 50 per cent caste-based reservation.