Odisha Cabinet Approves ₹5,467 Crore Scheme for Free Education from KG to PG

The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, on Wednesday approved the 'Gyanodaya - Shiksharu Samruddhi' scheme, which waives admission fees for students from classes IX to XII and undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) programmes in government and government-aided institutions. The decision, effective from the 2026-27 academic session, aims to make quality education more accessible and affordable.

With education from kindergarten (KG) to class VIII already free in the state, this initiative completes the government's vision of providing free education from KG to PG. The scheme covers students enrolled in regular mode courses in state public universities, government colleges, and government-aided colleges, as well as classes IX to XII in government and government-aided schools.

The government has allocated an estimated ₹895.57 crore for the first year and a total of ₹5,467.55 crore over five years for implementation. According to the Cabinet note, this is one of the largest public investments in education by the state and is expected to benefit over 32 lakh students annually.

The scheme explicitly excludes self-financing courses or institutions, unaided institutions, PPP-mode institutions, and professional or technical programmes. The government stated that the initiative is designed to ensure that no deserving student is deprived of education due to financial constraints, particularly those from economically weaker sections, and aims to improve enrolment, retention, and reduce dropout rates.