Bhubaneswar, 17 July 2026: Odisha Abhibhabak Mahasangha (OAM), the apex parents’ federation of the state, has wholeheartedly welcomed the State Government’s landmark decision to implement the ‘Gyanodaya – Shikshya Ru Samruddhi’ scheme for providing free education from Kindergarten (KG) to Postgraduate (PG) level in government and government-aided institutions.
In a formal letter addressed to the Hon’ble Minister, Department of Higher Education, OAM President Basudeb Bhatta congratulated the Government and the Minister for this historic initiative, which is expected to benefit over 32 lakh students annually with a budgetary provision of ₹5,467.55 crore over the next five years.
While appreciating the waiver of admission fees for regular academic courses, OAM has urged the Government to make the scheme truly comprehensive by addressing remaining financial burdens on parents and students.
Key Demands Raised by OAM:
- Complete waiver of all fees including Examination Fees, Affiliation Fees, Celebration Fees (annual functions, cultural/sports events, etc.), and any other miscellaneous or compulsory charges.
- Provision of free textbooks and essential study materials from Class 11 to Postgraduate (PG) level in all eligible government and government-aided institutions.
- Immediate constitution of a High-Level Monitoring Committee with representation from the Higher Education Department, parents’ associations (OAM), student bodies, and academic experts to ensure effective implementation, grievance redressal, and transparent monitoring.
Basudeb Bhatta, President, OAM stated: “We are grateful to the Hon’ble Minister and the State Government for this progressive step. However, for the scheme to genuinely deliver ‘free education up to PG’, it is essential to eliminate all hidden costs and provide free textbooks. A strong monitoring committee will ensure that no student is left behind due to financial constraints or implementation gaps.”
OAM reaffirmed its full support and cooperation for the successful rollout of the scheme and appealed to the Government to accept these demands at the earliest so that parents and students can reap maximum benefit from the academic session 2026-27 onwards.
