The Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the opposition party, intensified its demand on Wednesday for the establishment of a 27% reservation quota for OBCs in medical, engineering, and other professional courses, in addition to government jobs.

This demand comes a week after the BJP-led government, under Mohan Majhi, announced an 11.25% reservation in admissions for students from Socially and Economically Backward Classes (SEBC) at state public universities and government educational institutions.

The BJD, which organized a rally outside the Raj Bhawan, submitted a memorandum to the Odisha Governor. They noted that while the state government’s announcement of 11.25% reservation for SEBC students in higher education has been labeled a “historic” decision, it appears inadequate upon closer scrutiny. Notably, this reservation does not include medical and engineering colleges.

Furthermore, the BJD highlighted that, although Scheduled Tribes (STs) and Scheduled Castes (SCs) make up 22.5% and 16.25% of Odisha’s population, respectively, the current reservation for these groups in technical, medical, and engineering colleges stands at just 12% for STs and 8% for SCs, totaling only 20%. This is significantly lower than the 38.75% combined reservation that aligns with their demographic representation, as observed in other higher education sectors in the state.

The BJD’s memorandum urged the Governor’s intervention, citing that the central government and various other states have already implemented a 27% reservation for OBCs in educational institutions, including technical and professional education. They emphasized that Odisha should adopt similar measures to uphold equity, social justice, and constitutional responsibility.

Additionally, the memorandum called for a review and adjustment of the current reservation percentages for ST and SC communities in professional courses to better reflect their actual demographic representation, in line with practices already established in general higher education.

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of Odisha Police has arrested an additional suspect in the online trading investment fraud case amounting to ₹6.28 crore, bringing the total number of arrests to 31.
The CID initiated its investigation after Kuntal Majumdar from Angul reported being defrauded by unidentified cybercriminals on August 24 of last year. They lured him into investing in IPO and OTC trading by promising high returns, resulting in a transfer of ₹6,28,00,000.
Despite facing initial losses, he was persuaded to invest more funds. However, upon trying to withdraw his money, he was asked for additional payments and denied access to his funds. Realizing he had fallen victim to a scam, he filed an FIR.

Following an analysis of transaction details and other digital evidence, the CID team identified and arrested another suspect in Hyderabad, named Mohammed Faiz Ahmed.

Previously, the Odisha CID had apprehended 30 individuals involved in this fraudulent online trading scheme from states including Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Kerala, and West Bengal.

The CID advises citizens to remain cautious of unsolicited investment offers found on social media and messaging applications. Always verify before investing to avoid becoming a victim of cyber fraud, and report such incidents to the 1930 Cyber Helpline or your nearest police station.