Bhubaneswar, Dec. 31: The state government is bringing an ordinance to amend the Orissa Professional Educational Institutions (Regulation of Admission and Fixation of Fee) Act, 2007.

The move would enable candidates to sit for the all-India JEE (Main) and help in selecting students for close to 100 engineering colleges in the state.

At its meeting today, the cabinet okayed the proposed ordinance, which is likely to be promulgated after the governor gives his assent. As the necessary act in the present form do not give adequate powers to take a decision, the private engineering colleges had approached Orissa High Court. There was utter confusion with the government asking candidates to take the JEE (Main) for the engineering seats earlier this year. Following a petition from the private colleges, the court asked the specified authorities to hold a special OJEE for tech aspirants.

The policy planning body of the technical education department, while agreeing to the proposal of the state government to take part in the JEE (Main), had observed that an amendment of Section 3 of the Orissa Professional Educational Institutions Act was necessary to enable the government to take the decision on the matter. Further, the high court, while passing the judgment, had underlined the need to amend the statute.

Officials of the skill development and technical education departments had forwarded a memorandum on the proposed amendments in the act with regard to admission rules, fixation of fees, prohibition of capitation fee and reservation in admissions to the cabinet for approval.

Earlier, the state had constituted a high-power panel under the chairmanship of BPUT vice-chancellor and later referred the suggestions to the cabinet sub-committee for necessary recommendations.