Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday alleged that “external forces” both inside and outside India were attempting to mislead young protesters who have been critical of the Union government’s education policy, and urged students to prioritise their careers rather than follow what he described as disruptive influences.
Independence Day address and key announcements
Speaking at the State-level celebration of the 80th Independence Day on Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Mr. Majhi reiterated an earlier line that external actors were behind the recent Gen‑Z demonstrations targeting the Prime Minister and central education measures. He linked the protests to those seeking to stall India’s progress and said their efforts had been exposed nationally.
“Over the past few days, certain external forces, both within and outside the country, have been attempting to mislead the youth of the nation. The reason is that they do not want to see India emerge as a strong nation,”
The Chief Minister appealed directly to young people, saying they should not be swayed and that their problems could be resolved through the central government’s initiatives. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not “compromise even an inch” on national interests and called on students to concentrate on career goals.
Administrative changes for aspirants and government staff
On a concrete policy decision, Mr. Majhi announced the removal of the previous cap of a maximum of six attempts for the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) Examination. Candidates will now be permitted to sit for the examination until they reach the prescribed upper age limit.
The Chief Minister also said certain restrictions related to compassionate appointments following the death of government employees had been relaxed, although he did not list the specific rules that were changed during his public remarks.
| Announcement | Details provided |
|---|---|
| OCS attempt limit | Maximum of six attempts removed; candidates may appear until prescribed upper age limit |
| Compassionate appointments | Certain restrictions relaxed (no further details provided in speech) |
| Paddy procurement registration | Government discussed recent registration problems with farmers; assurance given that issue has been examined |
Farmer concerns and procurement registration
Mr. Majhi acknowledged reports of difficulties faced by farmers while registering for paddy procurement. He said the government had discussed the matter in detail and gave assurances to farmers, without elaborating further on remedial steps during the address.
Context and continuity
The Chief Minister’s remarks echoed comments he made a week earlier accusing unnamed external actors and “invisible enemies” of misleading youths through social media. The present speech combined political messaging with administrative announcements aimed at students and government employees.
- For students and aspirants: Verify official notifications from the Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) or government portals for details on the revised attempt policy and any transitional arrangements.
- For job-seeking families: Watch for formal government orders about compassionate recruitment relaxations before applying or relying on changes.
- For farmers: Keep records of procurement registration attempts and follow announcements from the agriculture or food supplies departments for corrective procedures.
As with any major administrative change, the precise modalities—such as how the removal of the attempt cap will be implemented for candidates who have already used six attempts—will be set out in official notifications. Aspirants should await circulars from the appropriate recruiting authority for dates, eligibility clarifications and the application process.
The Independence Day function, where Mr. Majhi hoisted the national flag, was held in Bhubaneswar and drew attention for combining a political critique of national protests with state-specific policy measures affecting students, government families and farmers.
Officials in the state machinery are likely to issue formal orders and detailed guidelines in the coming days to clarify the administrative steps required to operationalise the announcements made during the address.
Reporting here focuses on the statements and declarations made publicly by the Chief Minister at the event; further details and government orders are awaited for operational clarity.
