Odisha free education push adds 14,758 UG admissions, Kalahandi tops at 99%
By TUF News Desk · Published 8 November 2026 · 3 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
14,758 more students took admission in regular undergraduate courses in Odisha this academic year than in the last one. Total enrolment reached 1,78,937, against 1,64,179 a year earlier. The state government puts the rise down to its free education scheme, which waives fees from kindergarten to postgraduate level in government-run institutions.
Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj shared the figures after a review meeting on Friday. The scheme, called Gyanodaya Shiksharu Samruddhi, took effect from the 2026-27 academic session.
Where enrolment rose fastest
The highest enrolment rates came in the state’s aspirational districts, the ones the government has identified as lagging on development indicators. Kalahandi recorded 99.09 per cent enrolment, followed by Koraput at 98.82 per cent, Balangir at 95.57 per cent, Malkangiri at 95.37 per cent and Nuapada at 94.64 per cent.
The minister said the programme aims to make education accessible to students from eligible families and to strengthen access to higher education across the state.
What the scheme covers
The waiver applies to regular undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in state public universities, government colleges and government-aided private institutions. Students enrol through the Student Academic Management System (SAMS) portal.
There are limits students should know. Professional and self-financing courses sit outside the scheme, and students must keep at least 75 per cent attendance to hold on to the fee waiver. Examination fees and hostel charges are also outside the waiver.
The department has already had to fix one timing problem. Students who paid admission fees in the first phase of undergraduate admissions, before the waiver took effect, have been refunded Rs 69.23 crore. The money went directly to the bank accounts of 1.11 lakh degree college students.
Staffing push runs alongside the fee waiver
The review meeting also covered the other side of the expansion: who will teach the extra students. The state has created 48 new principal posts in 48 government degree colleges. All 66 government degree colleges in the state now have sanctioned principal posts, up from 18 earlier.
Another 262 posts have been created across 17 state universities after a rationalisation exercise. Recruitment is underway to fill 1,819 vacant teaching posts in colleges and universities.
The State Selection Board has conducted recruitment examinations and declared results for more than 2,800 vacancies across categories over the past two years, an official said. For the current year, the board has issued notifications for 1,557 posts. The meeting also reviewed projects under PM-USHA, the central scheme for upgrading state higher education institutions.
Odisha’s higher education system includes affiliating state universities such as Utkal University, whose colleges admit large numbers of degree students each year, alongside central institutes such as NIT Rourkela. For families weighing the cost of a degree, the waiver changes the calculation, and our guide to scholarships for Indian university students sets out other forms of fee support worth checking alongside a state scheme.
Frequently asked questions
How many more students joined undergraduate courses in Odisha this year?
Enrolment in regular undergraduate courses rose to 1,78,937 this academic year, up by 14,758 from 1,64,179 last year.
Which districts recorded the highest enrolment?
Among aspirational districts, Kalahandi recorded 99.09 per cent enrolment, followed by Koraput at 98.82 per cent and Balangir at 95.57 per cent.
What does Odisha’s Gyanodaya scheme cover?
It waives fees from kindergarten to postgraduate level for regular undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in government and government-aided institutions. Professional and self-financing courses are excluded, and students must maintain at least 75 per cent attendance.
What is Odisha doing about vacant teaching posts?
Recruitment is underway for 1,819 vacant teaching posts in colleges and universities. The state has also created 262 new posts across 17 state universities and 48 new principal posts in government degree colleges.
Frequently asked questions
How many more students joined undergraduate courses in Odisha this year?
Enrolment in regular undergraduate courses rose to 1,78,937 this academic year, up by 14,758 from 1,64,179 last year.
Which districts recorded the highest enrolment?
Among aspirational districts, Kalahandi recorded 99.09 per cent enrolment, followed by Koraput at 98.82 per cent and Balangir at 95.57 per cent.
What does Odisha's Gyanodaya scheme cover?
It waives fees from kindergarten to postgraduate level for regular undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in government and government-aided institutions. Professional and self-financing courses are excluded, and students must maintain at least 75 per cent attendance.
What is Odisha doing about vacant teaching posts?
Recruitment is underway for 1,819 vacant teaching posts in colleges and universities. The state has also created 262 new posts across 17 state universities and 48 new principal posts in government degree colleges.
Sources: Careers360, The Hindu BusinessLine, The Economic Times