Odisha launches the ‘Gyanodaya’ scheme, offering free education from KG to PG for students across the state. Learn more about this major fee waiver
OdishaPlus Bureau
Continuing its earlier commitment to provide free education from kindergarten to postgraduate levels in Odisha, the cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi approved the ‘Gyanodaya – Shiksharu Samruddhi’ scheme on Wednesday (July 1, 2026), which eliminates admission fees starting with the academic year 2026–27.
This initiative aims to enhance the accessibility, equity, and affordability of quality education for students. According to the scheme, eligible students who are admitted to regular courses in government and government-aided institutions will receive a full waiver of admission fees.
The scheme will benefit students in Classes IX to XII at government and government-aided schools, as well as those enrolled in Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG) programs in regular mode at State Public Universities, government colleges, and government-aided colleges, as stated in a release following the Cabinet meeting.
Since education from Kindergarten (KG) to Class VIII is already provided free of charge in Odisha, this new initiative fulfills the State Government’s objective of offering free education from KG to PG.
The initiative has been crafted to guarantee that no deserving student is denied access to education due to financial limitations. By alleviating the financial strain on families, especially those from economically disadvantaged and marginalized groups, this program aims to promote higher enrollment rates, enhance student retention, decrease dropout rates, and allow more students to pursue higher education without interruptions,” the Cabinet note states.
Self-financing courses or institutions, unaided institutions, PPP-mode institutions and courses, along with professional and technical programs, are excluded from the scheme’s provisions.
The Cabinet has sanctioned an estimated expenditure of ₹895.57 crore for the first year and ₹5,467.55 crore over a span of five years for the scheme’s implementation.
“This marks one of the most substantial public investments in the education sector by the State Government and is anticipated to benefit over 32 lakh students annually while significantly alleviating the financial burden on their families,” the note adds.