HC asks Odisha govt to hold OJEE

The Orissa High Court has directed the state government to conduct Odisha Joint Entrance Examination (OJEE) for admission to various engineering colleges in the state.
A division bench of the High Court, comprising Justices Indrajit Mahanti and B K Nayak, gave the direction adjudicating on a petition filed by Odisha Private Engineering Colleges' Association (OPECA).
Holding that AIJEE violates Orissa Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Fixation of Fees Act of 2007, the High Court, however, allowed the students of the state to appear for the national-level examination keeping in view their interest.
The High Court had given a similar direction last year asking the state government to hold OJEE in order to facilitate private engineering colleges fill up their vacant seats. A large number of seats had fallen vacant in the private colleges last year after the AIJEE counselling.