Bhubaneswar: In a bid to streamline the recruitment process and ensure that only genuinely interested and qualified candidates apply, the Odisha Cabinet has decided to introduce an examination fee for recruitment exams.
According to the newly framed Odisha Payment of Recruitment Examination Fees and Refund Rules, 2025, candidates, except those belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST), and Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) categories, will be required to pay a fee as determined by the recruiting agencies.
However, the fee will be refunded in full to candidates who actually appear in the examination. This move aims to reduce the number of non-serious candidates and improve the quality of applications, thereby decreasing absenteeism and administrative burden.
Currently, the absence of an examination fee has resulted in a large number of applications and a high percentage of absenteeism, leading to increased costs and wastage of public resources. The new rules are expected to bring about a more efficient and effective recruitment process in Odisha.
