Union Minister Calls for Inclusion of Odisha's SEBC in Central OBC List

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan urges the inclusion of 108 SEBC communities from Odisha into the Central OBC list, highlighting their exclusion from national reservation benefits. Discussions to boost educational development in Kota focus on enhancing IIIT to cater to global demands with AI and energy-focused courses.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has appealed to the Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Virendra Kumar to incorporate 108 Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) from Odisha into the Central Other Backward Classes (OBC) list. In a letter dated Monday, he raised concerns about the lack of reservation benefits for these communities at the national level.

Pradhan emphasized that excluding Odisha's SEBCs results in unequal access to reservation advantages and welfare schemes. He stressed the necessity of aligning state and central frameworks to further social justice and inclusive growth, proposing a detailed list of the communities for inclusion. Pradhan also requested Kumar's personal intervention to promote educational and economic uplift for historically marginalized groups.

In a separate dialogue, Pradhan met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to discuss educational development in the Kota-Bundi region. They focused on elevating IIIT Kota to a world-class institution, enhancing educational quality, and introducing future-oriented courses such as Artificial Intelligence and Green Energy to address global job market needs. A committee has been tasked with reporting within a month to expedite these initiatives.

(With inputs from agencies.)