Prime Highlights
- Odisha has approved free education from KG to PG for students studying regular courses in government and government-aided institutions.
- The scheme is expected to benefit more than 32 lakh students annually by removing financial barriers to education.
Key Facts
- The scheme covers only regular courses in government and government-aided institutions.
- The state has allocated ₹895.57 crore for the first year of implementation.
Background
In Odisha, the cabinet has given its nod to an education policy that will give free education for KG to PG level in government and government-aided institutions. This policy will see to it that no student is deprived of education due to economic problems. The scheme will take effect from the 2026-27 academic session and is expected to benefit more than 32 lakh students every year.
The Chief Minister of Odisha, Mohan Charan Majhi, declared that the scheme known as Gyanodaya-Shiksharu Samruddhi is an important measure taken to provide all the students, irrespective of their economic status, with equal educational opportunities. He remarked that the scheme is aimed at removing all economic barriers for the continuity of studies.
Under the scheme, all fees will be waived for students enrolled in regular courses at government and government-aided schools, colleges and universities. While education from KG to Class VIII was already free, the new policy extends the benefit to students studying in Classes IX to XII and those pursuing regular undergraduate and postgraduate courses.
The state government has allocated an estimated ₹895.57 crore for the first year of implementation. It has also planned a total expenditure of ₹5,467.55 crore over the next five years to support the programme.
The scheme does not cover self-financing courses, private unaided institutions, public-private partnership (PPP) institutions, or professional and technical programmes.
The Chief Minister said the initiative supports the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Odisha Vision 2036 and Odisha Vision 2047. He added that it is expected to improve enrolment, increase attendance, reduce dropout rates and make higher education more accessible across the state.
