HC orders fresh OJEE for B-Tech admission

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court today directed the State government to conduct a fresh Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) for admission into B-Tech course in the State.

According to Odisha Private Engineering College Association (OPECA) secretary Binod Dash, the High Court has also ordered fresh entrance test for lateral entry into MBA and MCA courses.

OPECA had moved the High Court asking for a separate JEE for B Tech admissions in the State.

Notably, OPECA, as has been the case for the last three years, had moved the Orissa High Court citing violation of the Odisha Professional Education Act. OPECA has been protesting against the national JEE and has maintained that such national level entrance test is not generating enough interest among students to join engineering institutes in the State. Hence, OPECA has been demanding a separate entrance test to be conducted by the State government for admissions into colleges within the State.

Sources said that as per the High Court directive, the state government will conduct a special JEE for admissions into B-Tech courses. Moreover, a second OJEE will also be conducted for lateral entry into MBA, MCA and other courses for which OJEE has already been conducted.

Students can file their applications for the special OJEE from July 21, informed sources.

The State government has been conducting fresh JEEs for the past three years.