Odisha Government Announces Free Education from Kindergarten to Postgraduate Level

The Event

On June 12, 2026, during an event marking the completion of two years of the BJP-led government in Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced a landmark educational policy. The state government will provide completely free education from Kindergarten (KG) to Postgraduate (PG) level in all government-run schools, colleges, and universities across Odisha. This initiative is designed to universalize higher and secondary education, removing financial barriers for students from economically weaker sections.

Background & Context

Odisha has historically faced challenges in student retention, particularly at the senior secondary and higher education levels, where private costs often force students from poor families to drop out. Prior initiatives focused on subsidized primary education and targeted scholarships for girls. This new policy marks a major shift by making the entire educational lifecycle in government institutions free. The policy is strictly applicable to government-run institutions and does not extend to private schools or colleges. To support this massive expansion, the government has launched the Godabarish Mishra Adarsha Primary Schools project to build model schools in every panchayat, planned the recruitment of 45,000 additional teachers over the next three years, and accelerated the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Key Statistics

• Target Beneficiaries: More than 10 lakh students in state government-run educational institutions.
• Teacher Recruitment: 45,000 new teachers to be recruited over the next three years, in addition to the 26,615 staff already appointed in the last two years.
• Infrastructure Growth: Establishment of 4 new state universities and 18 new government colleges in rural areas.

Static GK & Related Facts

• Odisha Administration: Chief Minister is Mohan Charan Majhi, and the Governor is Raghubar Das.
• NEP 2020: Replaced the 34-year-old National Policy on Education (NPE), 1986. It proposes a 5+3+3+4 curricular structure covering ages 3 to 18, integrating early childhood care and education.
• Constitutional Provisions:
  • Article 21A: Declares the Right to Education (RTE) a Fundamental Right, guaranteeing free and compulsory education to all children aged 6 to 14 years. It was inserted via the 86th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2002.
  • Article 45: A Directive Principle of State Policy (DPSP) urging the state to provide early childhood care and education for all children until they complete the age of six years.