Bhubaneswar, Jul 8: The Directorate of Higher Secondary Education, Odisha, on Wednesday released the first-phase merit list for Plus Two admissions for the academic session 2026–27. Out of 4,61,325 applicants, as many as 4,29,219 students have been selected, reflecting a selection rate of 93.04 percent, officials said.

Among the selected candidates, 2,76,925 are from Arts, 1,21,494 from Science, 19,844 from Commerce, 6,134 from Sanskrit, and 4,822 from Vocational streams. The gender distribution shows 2,00,493 boys, 2,28,675 girls, and 51 students from other categories.

Officials confirmed that 2,97,454 students secured their first-choice colleges, while 32,106 applicants remain unallocated in this round and will have opportunities in the second phase and spot selection.

Cut-off marks reveal Ravenshaw Higher Secondary School, Cuttack, leading across streams: 93.40% in Science, 82.40% in Commerce, and 81% in Arts. In vocational education, Dharmagarh Government Vocational School (Kalahandi) topped with 74.67%, while Chakapada Gurukul Sanskrit School (Kandhamal) led the Sanskrit stream with 57%.
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From the 4,26,406 applicants via BSE Odisha, 3,95,681 students secured seats in this round. Authorities announced that classes for Plus Two first-year students will commence on July 23 across all higher secondary schools in the state.

The merit list highlights the competitive nature of admissions, with premier institutions in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar, Rourkela, and Bhawanipatna dominating the cut-off charts.