Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet on Wednesday approved 12 key proposals, including the new landmark scheme ‘Gyanodaya – Prosperity through Education’, which aims to ensure free education for students from Kindergarten (KG) to Postgraduate (PG). The decision was taken during a state cabinet meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at the Lok Seva Bhawan here.After the cabinet meeting, CM Majhi described the new scheme “Gyanodaya – Prosperity through Education” as a landmark decision, stressing that under this new scheme, the state government has approved free education for all students in Odisha from Kindergarten (KG) to Postgraduate (PG).“I had announced this initiative earlier, and today the Cabinet has formally approved it. This historic decision will ensure that no student in Odisha is deprived of education or discontinues studies due to financial constraints. This is a historic step to make quality education more accessible, equitable and affordable for students across the state,” said Majhi.The Prime Minister stressed that students enrolled in regular courses in government-aided and government-aided educational institutions under the School and Mass Education (S&ME) and Higher Education departments will receive a complete waiver of admission and enrollment fees.He announced that the new scheme will be implemented from the academic year 2026-27 and will cover students studying in classes IX to XII in government and government schools, as well as those pursuing regular undergraduate and postgraduate courses in state public universities, government colleges and government-aided colleges.Majhi said the benefits under the scheme would be available only to students enrolled in regular courses.As education from Kindergarten to Class VIII is already free in Odisha, this initiative will fulfill the State Government’s vision of providing free education from KG to PG, the Chief Minister said.“The initiative is expected to increase enrollment by reducing the financial burden on families, especially those belonging to the economically weaker and disadvantaged sectors of society. The attendance in schools and colleges will improve, reduce the dropout rate and allow more students to follow higher education without any barriers,” added the CM.The scheme does not cover self-financed courses or institutions, private unaided institutions, institutions and courses operating under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode, or professional and technical programmes.The Odisha Cabinet has approved an estimated expenditure of Rs 895.57 crore for the first year and Rs 5,467.55 crore over five years to implement the scheme. Describing it as one of the government’s biggest investments in the education sector, Majhi said it would benefit more than 32 lakh students annually.“Gyanodaya – Prosperity through Education” is much more than a rights waiver program. It is a significant step to ensure that every child and youth in Odisha has equal access to education, regardless of their economic background. This initiative will empower every family through education, and is a testimony of the state government’s firm commitment to realize the vision of a ‘Samruddha Odisha’ based on knowledge, opportunity and integral development,” said CM Majhi.
