Odisha Gyanodaya Shiksharu Samruddhi Scheme

Scheme Introduction: A Brief Overview

The Gyanodaya – Shiksharu Samruddhi Scheme is a major education initiative approved by the Odisha Cabinet to fulfil the State Government's commitment of providing free education from Kindergarten (KG) to Postgraduate (PG) level. The scheme will be implemented from the Academic Session 2026–27 and aims to ensure that no student is deprived of education due to financial constraints. Under this initiative, the Odisha Government will provide a 100% waiver of admission fees for eligible students studying in Government Schools, Government Colleges, State Public Universities, and Government-Aided educational institutions. By removing admission charges, the scheme seeks to make quality education more affordable and accessible for lakhs of students across the state.

Before the launch of this scheme, students in Odisha were already receiving free education from Kindergarten (KG) to Class VIII. The Gyanodaya – Shiksharu Samruddhi Scheme extends this benefit to students enrolled in Classes IX to XII, Undergraduate (UG), and Postgraduate (PG) programmes offered in regular mode. With this decision, Odisha has become the first state in India to provide free education from KG to PG in Government and Government-Aided educational institutions through complete admission fee waiver. The scheme is expected to benefit more than 32 lakh students every year, enabling thousands of families to save on admission expenses while encouraging students to continue their education without financial interruptions.

The Gyanodaya – Shiksharu Samruddhi Scheme complements several existing education welfare initiatives implemented by the Odisha Government to support students at different stages of their academic journey. Apart from providing free education through admission fee waiver, the State Government also operates schemes such as Godabarisha Vidyarthi Protsahan Yojana for meritorious students, Videsh Shiksha Bruti Scheme to support higher studies abroad, Gopabandhu Sikhya Sahayata Yojana for educational assistance, and Shahid Madho Singh Hath Kharch Yojana for eligible tribal students. Together with the Gyanodaya – Shiksharu Samruddhi Scheme, these initiatives create a comprehensive education support ecosystem in Odisha by providing scholarships, financial assistance, and admission fee waivers to students at different stages of their education. The initiative also supports Odisha's long-term vision of improving access to quality education in line with NEP 2020, Odisha Vision 2036, and Odisha Vision 2047.

To implement the scheme effectively, the Odisha Government has approved an expenditure of ₹895.57 crore for the first year, while the total estimated allocation over the next five years is ₹5,467.55 crore. However, the admission fee waiver will be available only to students pursuing regular mode courses in eligible Government and Government-Aided institutions. Students studying in self-financing institutions, self-financing courses, unaided institutions, PPP-mode institutions, professional programmes, and technical programmes are not covered under the scheme based on the information released by the Government.

At present, the Odisha Government has announced the Gyanodaya – Shiksharu Samruddhi Scheme through an official Cabinet press release. The detailed scheme guidelines, operational framework, and procedure for availing the admission fee waiver have not yet been notified. Students seeking admission during the 2026–27 academic session should regularly follow official announcements issued by the School & Mass Education Department and the Higher Education Department, Government of Odisha. Once the detailed notification is released, the eligibility verification process, implementation mechanism, and other operational details will become clear, and this article will be updated accordingly.

Scheme Benefits

• Provides a complete waiver of admission fees for eligible students enrolled in regular mode courses.
• Extends free education from Kindergarten (KG) to Postgraduate (PG) level in Odisha by covering Classes IX to XII, Undergraduate, and Postgraduate students.
• Reduces the financial burden on families by eliminating admission fee expenses in eligible institutions.
• Supports eligible students by reducing the financial burden of admission and improving access to education.
• Encourages higher enrolment and improves student retention in schools, colleges, and State Public Universities.
• Helps reduce dropout rates by making education more affordable.
• Enables more students to pursue higher education without interruption.
• Expected to benefit more than 32 lakh students every year across Odisha.
• The Odisha Government has allocated ₹895.57 crore for the first year and an estimated ₹5,467.55 crore over five years for implementation.

Eligibility Requirements

• The scheme will be implemented from the Academic Session 2026–27.
• The applicant must be admitted to a regular mode course in an eligible educational institution.
• Students from Kindergarten (KG) to Class VIII.
• Students studying in Classes IX to XII in Government or Non-Government Aided schools are eligible.
• Students pursuing Undergraduate (UG) or Postgraduate (PG) programmes in regular mode are eligible.
• The admission fee waiver is available only to students studying in the following eligible institutions:
  • Government Schools (Classes IX to XII).
  • Government-Aided Schools (Classes IX to XII).
  • Government Colleges.
  • Government-Aided Colleges.
  • State Public Universities.
• The scheme does not cover students enrolled in
  • Self-financing courses.
  • Self-financing institutions.
  • Unaided institutions.
  • PPP-mode institutions and courses.
  • Professional programmes.
  • Technical programmes.

Note: The Odisha Government has not yet issued detailed scheme guidelines. Additional eligibility conditions, if any, will be notified through the official notification before implementation.

Required Documents

Students may be required to keep the following documents ready for verification once detailed guidelines are issued:

• Aadhaar Card or any valid identity proof.
• Recent passport-size photographs.
• Previous qualifying examination marksheet or certificate.
• Admission confirmation or admission receipt issued by the eligible institution.
• Student ID card (if applicable).
• Residence/Domicile Certificate of Odisha (if prescribed).
• Income Certificate (if required under future eligibility guidelines).
• Any other documents specified by the Odisha Government or the concerned educational institution.

Note: The above list is indicative based on the admission process followed by educational institutions. The final list of required documents will be published by the Odisha Government through the official scheme guidelines or notification.

How to Avail the Benefits

As of now, the Odisha Government has announced the Gyanodaya – Shiksharu Samruddhi Scheme through an official press release. However, detailed operational guidelines, the implementation process, and application procedure have not yet been notified.

• The scheme will be implemented from the Academic Session 2026–27.
• Eligible students taking admission in regular mode courses at Government and Non-Government Aided institutions will be able to avail the admission fee waiver as per the guidelines issued by the State Government.
• The Odisha Government is expected to release detailed instructions regarding the benefit disbursement process before admissions begin.
• Students should regularly check the official notifications issued by the Higher Education Department and the School & Mass Education Department, Government of Odisha, for further updates.
• Once the detailed guidelines are published, this section will be updated with the complete procedure to avail the scheme benefits.

Relevant Links

• Odisha Gyanodaya Shiksharu Samruddhi Scheme Circular
• DHE Odisha Official Portal

Contact Information

• DHE Odisha Contact Details