Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday unveiled an ambitious roadmap to position the state as India’s “knowledge hub”, outlining a series of reforms and investments in the education sector under the National Education Policy (NEP-2020).
Speaking at a two-day national-level workshop on NEP implementation at a local convention centre, the Chief Minister said the government is focused on transforming Odisha into a centre of learning, innovation and skill development. He said the initiative is aimed at overcoming long-standing stagnation in the education system and aligning it with global standards.
Majhi said the NEP-2020, formulated under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is not merely a policy document but a national mission to make India a global knowledge leader. “Education is the foundation of human civilisation. Our goal is to ensure students are industry-ready and globally competitive,” he said.
Highlighting budgetary support, Majhi announced that Rs 41,273 crore has been allocated to the education sector in the 2025–26 financial year, describing it as a long-term investment in the future of the state’s youth and a step towards building world-class infrastructure.
To address the rural-urban education divide, the government has launched the Godabarish Adarsha Vidyalaya (GVA) scheme, with an outlay of Rs 12,000 crore. Under the initiative, modern schools will be set up in all 6,794 gram panchayats, equipped with advanced classrooms, laboratories and sports facilities to ensure quality education in rural areas.
In higher education, the state has introduced 11.25 per cent reservation for Socially and Educationally Backward Classes (SEBC) students. Additionally, financial assistance under the ‘Shahid Madho Singh Haath Kharcha Yojana’ aims to reduce dropout rates among Scheduled Tribe (ST) students. Majhi said these measures would help bring marginalized communities into the educational mainstream.
The Chief Minister also highlighted efforts to promote Odia language in higher education. The state has signed an MoU with IGNOU to offer technical and higher education courses in Odia, aiming to eliminate language barriers and improve learning outcomes.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who attended the event, praised Odisha’s cultural and educational legacy. He said the state reflects a unique blend of tradition and learning, shaped by luminaries such as Sarala Dasa, Fakir Mohan Senapati and Bhima Bhoi.
Pradhan noted that nearly 70 per cent of Odisha’s population is below 44 years of age, calling it a significant demographic advantage. He stressed the need to improve the Gross Enrolment Ratio (GER), currently at 23 per cent, to surpass the national average of 29 per cent by 2036.
State Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj described the workshop as a “thinking camp” for shaping a developed Odisha. He said the state has secured over Rs 700 crore under the PM-USHA scheme and has appointed new provosts in 14 universities to enhance academic standards.
During the event, the Chief Minister released the Chief Minister’s Internship Guidebook and launched the ‘ShaktiShree’ mobile app aimed at youth empowerment.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the Higher Education Department Aravind Agrawal welcomed the participants and outlined the objectives of the workshop. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Director Kali Prasanna Mohapatra.
