Tennessee’s Republican-controlled legislature closed its session Tuesday by pushing through a decisive set of bills targeting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In a crescendo of conservative policymaking, lawmakers dismantled long-standing frameworks meant to bolster representation in government and higher education, replacing them with a strict meritocratic model. Central to the legislative finale was a bill that directly targets the infrastructure of DEI. The measure orders the dissolution of state and local offices tasked with promoting diversity, mandates the elimination of identity-based criteria for board appointments, and instructs the removal of demographic benchmarks in employment policies across public institutions.

From representation to “qualification”

Lawmakers also gave final approval to a companion bill barring public agencies, including higher education institutions, from making hiring decisions based on an individual’s race, ethnicity, sex, or age. Instead, agencies must rely solely on “merit,” “qualifications,” veteran status, or lawful eligibility. The law repositions Tennessee firmly within a growing conservative ideology that views demographic consideration as antithetical to fairness.

A policy echo of Trump-era ideology

The Tennessee legislation is not occurring in a vacuum. It mirrors initiatives launched under President Donald Trump, whose administration sought to link the distribution of federal funds to the exclusion of DEI policies. That precedent laid the groundwork for state-level action—Tennessee now becomes a key player in actualizing that agenda.

Boards to lose identity-based representation

Beyond hiring practices, the new laws strike directly at identity-based governance structures. Requirements that certain public boards maintain racial, gender, or age representation have been deleted. Critics argue this strips underrepresented communities of vital political visibility; proponents counter that appointments should be blind to personal characteristics and based on perceived competence alone.

Opposition raises alarm bells

Civil rights advocates and education leaders have condemned the bills, warning they will reverse decades of effort to correct systemic inequalities. Others fear the chilling effect these moves could have on recruitment, retention, and morale within public service sectors.

Higher education in the crosshairs

Public universities—long champions of diversity offices and equity initiatives—are now under pressure to restructure or eliminate these arms. The University of Tennessee system and others will be forced to reexamine staff positions, student programs, and scholarship criteria that once relied on DEI frameworks.

A new conservative doctrine emerges

Tennessee’s Republican-controlled legislature closed its session Tuesday by pushing through a decisive set of bills targeting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. In a crescendo of conservative policymaking, lawmakers dismantled long-standing frameworks meant to bolster representation in government and higher education, replacing them with a strict meritocratic model.

DEI programs dismantled statewide

Central to the legislative finale was a bill that directly targets the infrastructure of DEI. The measure orders the dissolution of state and local offices tasked with promoting diversity, mandates the elimination of identity-based criteria for board appointments, and instructs the removal of demographic benchmarks in employment policies across public institutions.

The Odisha Staff Selection Commission (OSSC) has released the admit card for the Excise Sub Inspector (SI) written exam 2025. Candidates who have applied for the OSSC Combined Recruitment Examination (CRE) for Excise SI posts can now download their admit card from the official website, ossc.gov.in.
The admit card includes key details such as exam venue, reporting time, gate closing time, and important exam instructions.
The OSSC had earlier scheduled the admit card release for April 21, 2025, but it was postponed. However, there is no change in the written exam date, which remains scheduled for April 27, 2025.

OSSC Excise SI admit card 2025: How to download

Candidates can follow the steps given here to access their OSSC CRE 2025 admit card:
Step 1. Visit the official website, ossc.gov.in.
Step 2. Go to the “What’s New” section and click on the link to download the Excise SI written exam admit card.
Step 3. Enter your login credentials.
Step 4. View and download your admit card.
Step 5. Take a printout to keep safe for exam day.
Alternatively, candidates can click here to download their hall tickets for OSSC Excise SI 2025.

OSSC Excise SI 2025: Details mentioned on the admit card

Candidates are advised to verify the following information printed on the admit card:

If any errors are found, candidates must immediately contact OSSC for correction.

OSSC Excise SI 2025: Exam pattern

The written examination will consist of three subjects with a total of 150 questions. The duration is 3 hours, and there is a negative marking of 0.25 marks for every incorrect answer.