Over 23,000 apply for CPET in state

Bhubaneswar: More than 23,000 students have applied online for the Common PG Entrance Test (CPET) in the state, seeking admission to postgraduate courses for the 2025-26 academic session.
With the application process open until Mar 28, the higher education department expects the number of applicants to exceed 60,000, matching last year's figure of 62,544 candidates. A total of 116 higher education institutions across the state are offering 29,456 PG seats this year, compared to 28,926 seats last year. Admission will be conducted exclusively based on CPET scores.
Applicants who wish to edit their Common Application Form (CAF) can do so between 10am and 11.45pm on Mar 29. The Odisha Computer Application Centre (OCAC) will submit the applicants' data to the State Selection Board (SSB) on Apr 4. The SSB will conduct the CPET-2025 from May 4 to May 18, with hall tickets/admit cards issued on Apr 28. The SSB will hand over the entrance test scores to OCAC on May 26. The date for publishing CPET results will be announced later.
The admission process will be conducted in two phases, starting with phase-I, which will include four rounds of selection. The first two rounds will follow the existing reservation and weightage policies. In the third round, de-reservation of seats will be implemented if eligible applicants from specific categories are unavailable. The fourth round will be for waiting list admissions.
If vacant seats remain after phase-I, the department may hold phase-II or spot admissions, open only to left-out or fresh applicants.
The higher Education department aims to start PG classes in universities and colleges by July 10. According to an official statement from the department, starting classes on time will allow courses to be completed as scheduled, ensuring timely exams and result announcements.