BJP, BJD Spar Over New Quota In Odisha Medical & Engineering Colleges

Bhubaneswar: The decision of the Odisha government to provide reservation to eligible government school and college students for admission in medical and engineering colleges in the state from the next academic year has triggered a war of words between the opposition BJP and the ruling BJD.

In a statement, BJP state general secretary Lekhashree Samantasinghar said the state government should clarify the decision it has taken in this regard.

She said instead of creating a new category, the government should have worked towards creating quota  for other backward classes (OBCs) and Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBCs).

Referring to the reservation, Lekhashree said while the Centre has made 27 per cent reservation for OBCs, Odisha Government is yet to carry out this norm. Apart from this, the Narendra Modi government at the Centre has made 10 per cent reservation for the SEBCs. But, the state government has not implemented it. Had the state government carried out these two norms, 37 per cent of the OBC and SEBC students would have benefited.

“While most of the students in government schools in Odisha belong to OBC and SEBC, why has the state government come up with special reservation criteria instead of implementing the constitutionally approved criteria?” Lekhashree asked.

She further said while most of the government schools in Odisha lack basic infrastructure and some have no teachers, how the government can provide quality education to the students.

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Expressing shock at the statement of the BJP leader, BJD spokesperson Elina Dash said the saffron party is opposing such a historic and pro-student announcement of the Chief Minister of providing reservation for students studying in government schools.

“We hope that this is the individual opinion of Lekhashree and not that of a national party like BJP. In some time you will see the entire country, including BJP-ruled states, follow this historic pro-poor and pro-student decision of Naveen Patnaik,” Dash pointed out.

She further said the BJP is not able to digest the huge acclaim from the people for the decision taken by the Chief Minister in this regard.