The Odisha government has made significant changes to its reservation policy during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. The quota for Scheduled Tribe (ST) students has been increased from 12% to 22.5%, while the quota for Scheduled Caste (SC) students has been raised from 8% to 16.25%. Additionally, an 11.25% reservation has been introduced for Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC) in professional courses. This new reservation system will be applicable across various educational institutions in Odisha, including universities, ITIs, and polytechnics, covering fields such as engineering, medicine, and allied health sciences. The changes are expected to significantly increase the number of reserved seats available for ST and SC students in medical and engineering courses, enhancing their access to higher education. For instance, the number of medical seats available for ST students will rise from 290 to 545, while SC students will see an increase from 193 to 393. The Chief Minister emphasized that these changes are aimed at ensuring fair representation based on population proportions. In a related initiative, a new scheme called 'Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana' will be launched in the financial year 2026-27, providing additional rice to beneficiaries under existing food security programs.