Odisha's Groundbreaking Initiative: Free Education from KG to PG for All!
Historic Education Scheme Approved in Odisha
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet has recently given the green light to a revolutionary scheme aimed at providing free education from kindergarten (KG) all the way to postgraduate (PG) levels in all government and government-aided educational institutions across the state.
During a press briefing, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced the approval of the 'Gyanodaya-Shiksharu Samruddhi: KG to PG Free Education' initiative, set to launch in the academic year 2026-27.
Majhi hailed this decision as a 'historic' and 'unprecedented' move in the nation.
The scheme will ensure that eligible students enrolled in regular courses at government and government-aided institutions will benefit from a complete waiver of admission fees.
It will encompass students in Classes IX to XII at government and government-aided schools, along with those pursuing undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) studies at state public universities, government colleges, and government-aided colleges.
With education up to Class VIII already free in Odisha, this initiative effectively extends the provision of free education up to the PG level, according to the Chief Minister.
However, the scheme will not cover self-financing courses, unaided institutions, PPP-mode institutions, or professional and technical courses.
Majhi emphasized that the primary goal of this initiative is to ensure that no deserving student is denied education due to financial limitations, thereby alleviating the financial burden on economically disadvantaged families.
This initiative is anticipated to enhance student enrollment, retention rates, and decrease dropout rates, enabling a greater number of students to pursue higher education.
The cabinet has approved an estimated budget of Rs 895.57 crore for the first year and Rs 5,467.55 crore over a five-year span for the implementation of this scheme.
Approximately 32 lakh students across all government and government-aided educational institutions under the school and mass education and higher education departments are expected to benefit from this landmark decision.