Bhubaneswar: In a significant development for school education in Odisha, the Government of India has approved the upgradation of 71 government secondary schools into full-fledged Higher Secondary Schools (Classes XI and XII) under the Samagra Shiksha programme for the academic year 2026-27.
The Project Approval Board (PAB) of the Union Ministry of Education has also sanctioned approximately Rs 140.74 crore as non-recurring financial support for infrastructure development in these schools.
According to an official communication issued by Odisha School Education Programme Authority (OSEPA), the approval was granted following recommendations from respective district Collectors. The selected schools include 60 in the Arts stream and 11 in the Science stream. The funds will be utilised for creating necessary facilities such as classrooms, science laboratories, and other essential infrastructure.
The State Project Director has requested the School and Mass Education Department to issue formal government orders at the earliest so that the upgraded schools can become operational from the coming academic session.
Ganjam district has received the maximum number of approvals with 12 schools, followed by Malkangiri (6), Balasore (5), Balangir (5) and Nabarangpur (5). Several other districts including Angul, Kandhamal, Keonjhar, Khordha, Kalahandi, and Sundargarh have also been included in the list.
This initiative is expected to greatly improve access to higher secondary education, especially in rural and backward areas, and reduce the need for students to travel long distances after Class X.
