Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Shri Mohan Charan Majhi has called for a revolutionary transformation in the educational landscape of Odisha during a two-day national-level workshop on the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP-2020). Addressing the gathering at a local convention center, the Chief Minister presented a visionary roadmap to establish Odisha as the knowledge hub of India.
The Chief Minister emphasized that overcoming the long-standing stagnation in the education sector is a top priority for the state government. He noted that the NEP-2020, formulated under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is not merely a government document but a mission to establish India as a global knowledge capital. He reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring that students become industry-ready and capable of competing on a global scale.
To support these ambitions, the state has allocated a substantial budget of 41,273 crore rupees for education in the 2025-26 fiscal year. This investment is intended to build a strong foundation for the youth and upgrade the state’s educational infrastructure to international standards.
A key highlight of the state’s strategy is the launch of the Godabarisha Mishra Adarsha Vidyalaya scheme. With an investment of 12,000 crore rupees, the government plans to establish state-of-the-art schools in all 6,794 gram panchayats. These institutions will bridge the gap between rural and urban education by providing modern classrooms, science laboratories, and advanced sports facilities.
In a move toward social justice and equity, the government has implemented an 11.25 percent reservation for SEBC students in higher education. Furthermore, the Sahid Madho Singh Haat Kharcha Yojana has been introduced to provide direct financial assistance to Scheduled Tribe students to reduce dropout rates.
Promoting the Odia identity, the state has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IGNOU to introduce technical and higher education courses in the Odia language. This initiative aims to remove language barriers and help students grasp complex subjects in their mother tongue.
Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, who attended the event, praised Odisha’s unique blend of culture and education. He highlighted that 70 percent of Odisha’s population is under the age of 44, representing a massive opportunity for innovation. He urged the state to increase its Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER) from the current 23 percent to beyond the national average of 29 percent by 2036.
State Higher Education Minister Shri Suryabanshi Suraj described the workshop as a Chintan Shivir for building a developed Odisha. He informed that the state has successfully secured over 700 crore rupees in grants through the PM-USHA scheme and has appointed new Vice-Chancellors in 14 universities to improve academic standards.
During the event, the Chief Minister also released a guidebook for the Chief Minister’s Internship program and launched the ShaktiShree mobile app designed for the empowerment of female students.
The program commenced with a welcome address by Secretary, Higher Education, Shri Aravind Agrawal, and concluded with a vote of thanks by Director Higher Education, Shri Kali Prasanna Mohapatra. The event was attended by various academicians, Vice-Chancellors, and government officials.