The Odisha Government has put an end to the uncertainty surrounding its free education from KG to PG initiative by issuing a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) that clearly outlines the eligibility criteria and fee waiver provisions under the scheme.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said the SOP has been introduced to remove confusion regarding free admissions and fee exemptions and to ensure uniform implementation across eligible institutions.

Who Will Benefit?

The Minister clarified that the scheme will benefit students studying in government and government-aided educational institutions. However, private institutions and professional or technical education programmes will not be covered under the fee waiver policy.

Students enrolled in professional, technical and clinical study programmes will continue to pay the prescribed fees.

75% Attendance Mandatory

To avail of the benefits under the scheme, students must maintain at least 75% attendance. The minister said regular students meeting the attendance requirement will not face any difficulty in receiving the fee waiver.

He also stressed that no student should be forced to discontinue education due to financial constraints, which remains the core objective of the initiative.

Institutions Cannot Increase Fees Arbitrarily

The SOP also makes it clear that educational institutions cannot increase fees on their own. The Odisha Government will take the final decision on fee-related matters.

To regulate fee structures, the state will constitute a State-Level Fee Regulation Committee. However, examination fees have been kept outside the scope of the fee waiver scheme, the minister added.

‘Gyanodaya – Shiksharu Samruddhi’ Scheme

The SOP has been issued under the ‘Gyanodaya – Shiksharu Samruddhi’ scheme, which aims to make education more accessible and affordable for eligible students in Odisha.

Under the scheme, from the 2026–27 academic session, admission fees will be completely waived for students studying in:

• Government and government-aided schools from Class IX to Class XII
• Regular Undergraduate (UG) and Postgraduate (PG) courses in state government universities
• Government and government-aided colleges

Education from Kindergarten (KG) to Class VIII is already free in Odisha. With the extension of fee waivers to higher secondary and higher education, the state aims to establish a comprehensive free education system from KG to PG for eligible students.

The government said the initiative is designed to ensure that financial hardship does not become a barrier to education while strengthening access to quality learning across the state.