Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has approved a significant decision to provide free hostel facilities to students residing in non-KGBV (Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas) Type-IV girls’ hostels in Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas. This move aims to support students from rural areas who face difficulties commuting to school due to long distances.
To address transportation issues and ensure equal access to education, the government has decided to provide hostel facilities to needy students.
There are 314 Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas in the state, with 314 girls’ hostels and 314 boys’ hostels approved, each with a capacity of 100 students. While 173 KGBV girls’ hostels are already funded under the Samagra Shiksha scheme, students in the remaining 455 hostels (141 girls’ hostels and 314 boys’ hostels) were previously required to pay Rs 2,000 per month as hostel fees.
The government has now decided to bear the cost of hostel fees for students in these 455 hostels through state funding, benefiting over 45,000 students. The cabinet has approved waiving the student’s contribution of Rs 2,000 per month, with a total financial implication of Rs 349.20 crore for five years, from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2030. This initiative will ensure equal opportunities for education across the state.
The Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya Sangathan was established in 2015-16 to provide quality English medium education at the secondary level, especially for students from rural backgrounds who cannot afford it.
