Bhubaneswar, Jun 22: Odisha’s Higher Education Department on Monday released the first merit list for undergraduate (UG) admissions under Phase-I of the 2026–27 academic session. A total of 1,78,782 students have been selected in the first round across higher education institutions in the state, officials said.

This year, 2,37,200 students applied for admission against a total of 2,87,327 seats available across undergraduate programmes in the state. In the first round, 1,78,782 candidates have been selected, comprising 69,182 boys, 1,09,591 girls, and nine transgender students.

Stream-Wise Selections

The Arts stream accounted for the highest number of selections with 1,12,822 students, followed by 43,693 students in Science, 15,624 students in Commerce, 3,371 students in Shastri programmes, 3,245 students in self-financing courses and 167 Students in Law programmes.

Cut-Off Highlights

Among the highest cut-off marks recorded in the first merit list, Ravenshaw University registered 94.50 percent in Political Science under the Arts stream. In the Science stream, the highest cut-off stood at 96.50 per cent for Physics under Physical Science and 94.83 per cent for Zoology under Biological Science, both at Ravenshaw University. The highest cut-off in Commerce was 89.17 per cent at Ravenshaw University.

In the Shastri stream, the highest cut-off was 67.57 per cent at Brajakishore Sanskrit Degree College, Garhbishnupur. For self-financing courses, the highest cut-off was 92 per cent in Computer Science at BJB Autonomous College, Bhubaneswar, while the highest cut-off in Law was 89.40 per cent for the five-year Integrated BA LL.B. programme at Madhusudan Law University.
Also Read: 10 Odisha Schools Selected For National Awards Under SHVR 2025-26

Admission Process

Students opting for the “Freeze” option must report to their allotted institutions between June 23 and June 25 to complete admission formalities. Candidates choosing “Slide” or “Float” options must deposit the admission fee and await the second-round list.

The department has also introduced an “Alter” option, allowing students admitted to their first-preference institution to modify choices through OTP-based verification.