Bhubaneswar: The Higher Education Department of the Odisha Government has launched the “Foreign Education Scholarship” scheme, a major initiative aimed at enabling meritorious Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe students to pursue higher studies in top global institutions.
Students from families with an annual income below ₹12 lakh will be eligible to apply, and the state will provide financial assistance of up to ₹25 lakh per student per year.
Under the scheme, applications will be accepted twice a year, during July–August and December–January. Every year, 50 eligible students admitted to the world’s top 200 universities will be selected for support.
The scholarship will cover a wide range of disciplines, including engineering, technical education, medicine, agriculture science, architecture, and general higher education at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
Alongside this announcement, the state government has granted autonomy to the Odisha State Higher Education Council for conducting Academic Performance Audits of higher educational institutions. This autonomy will allow the Council to comprehensively assess and monitor educational standards across universities and colleges, ensuring better academic accountability.
In a separate programme held in Bhubaneswar today, the Higher Education Department provided compassionate appointments to 34 individuals, posting them in grant-in-aided private colleges.
Higher Education Minister Suryavanshi Suraj attended the event and distributed appointment letters to the beneficiaries. Congratulating them, he urged the new appointees to serve with honesty and dedication and contribute meaningfully to Odisha’s educational progress.
The Minister emphasised that the government led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has placed high priority on strengthening the state’s education sector.
He highlighted recent achievements, including the implementation of the National Education Policy-2020 in Odisha, adoption of the PM-USHA scheme, enforcement of the Odisha Universities (Amendment) Act, introduction of 11.25% reservation for SEBC students in higher education, establishment of new government colleges in remote districts, and expansion of skill development initiatives to enhance student employability.
He said these developments reflect the state government’s commitment to building a world-class educational ecosystem and creating a brighter future for Odisha’s youth.
