Argus News - Odisha CM Steps In, OPSC Likely to Fill 151 Additional Posts in Recruitment List

Bhubaneswar, Jan 3: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stepped in on Saturday to address growing resentment among civil service aspirants after the Odisha Public Service Commission’s (OPSC) notification for the Odisha Civil Services Examination (OCSE) 2025 excluded several key Group A services.

Following reports of dissatisfaction among aspirants, Chief Minister Majhi ordered an immediate review of vacancy positions and directed departments to ensure that all available posts are placed before the OPSC for recruitment.

As a result, the state government has now requested the OPSC to fill 151 additional posts, including 14 in the Odisha Administrative Service (OAS), 113 in the Odisha Revenue Service (ORS), 16 in the Odisha Transport Service (OTS) and eight in the Odisha Welfare Service (OWS).

“The state government is giving the highest priority to recruitment, and nearly 40,000 government posts have been filled in the last 18 months,” the Chief Minister said.

The OPSC notification, issued on December 31, announced 314 vacancies across seven services, of which 104 posts were reserved for women. However, the notification included only 12 vacancies in the Odisha Police Service (OPS) as the sole Group A service. Major cadres such as the Odisha Administrative Service (OAS), Odisha Finance Service (OFS) and Odisha Revenue Service (ORS) were left out entirely, triggering disappointment among aspirants statewide.

Group B services dominated the notification, with 176 posts in the Odisha Taxation and Accounts Service (OTAS) and 98 posts in the Odisha Labour Service (OLS). Smaller allocations were made to the Odisha Skill Development and Employment Service (10 posts), Odisha Tourism Service (eight), Odisha Excise Service (six) and Odisha Cooperative Service (four).

Notably, more than one-third of the notified vacancies -- 115 posts -- were backlog vacancies from previous years, largely attributed to candidates either not joining or leaving the service after selection. The Odisha Labour Service alone accounted for 80 backlog posts, the highest among all cadres.

In this regard, the Chief Minister instructed all departments to strengthen coordination with recruitment agencies. “Departments have been directed to recommend all existing vacancies to the commissions before notifications are issued,” Majhi said.

Sources within the OPSC reiterated that the commission does not determine vacancy numbers independently and acts solely on requisitions submitted by the General Administration and Public Grievance Department. Officials acknowledged that differing cadre rules and unresolved differences between departments such as Finance and Revenue have contributed to gaps in vacancy reporting.

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The Chief Minister’s intervention is expected to ease tensions among aspirants and ensure broader inclusion of key services in the ongoing recruitment process.