Odisha Cabinet Approves ‘Gyanodaya – Shiksharu Samruddhi’ Admission‑Fee Waiver Scheme for Class IX‑PG (2026‑27)

Overview The Odisha government, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi , has approved a new education scheme called Gyanodaya – Shiksharu Samruddhi . The scheme starts in the academic session 2026‑27 and aims to remove admission fee waiver for eligible students. Key Developments The waiver applies to regular‑mode courses in government‑aided institutions and fully government‑run colleges. Beneficiaries include students in Classes IX to XII and those pursuing undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) programmes. Self‑financing courses, unaided institutions, PPP‑mode institutions and professional/technical programmes are excluded. The first‑year outlay is estimated at ₹895.57 crore , rising to ₹5,467.55 crore over five years. The scheme is projected to benefit over 32 lakh students each year. Important Facts Education from Kindergarten to Class VIII is already free in Odisha; this scheme completes the free‑education continuum up to PG. By eliminating admission fees, the government expects higher enrolment, better retention, and lower dropout rates, especially among economically weaker sections. The scheme is one of the largest public investments in the state’s education sector. UPSC Relevance Understanding this scheme helps aspirants in several GS papers. For GS2 (Polity) , it illustrates state‑level policy formulation, budget allocation, and implementation mechanisms. In GS3 (Economy) , the fiscal magnitude ( ₹895.57 crore ) and its impact on human capital formation are crucial. The exclusion of <span class="key-term" data-definition="Self‑financing course — a program where students bear the full