In a good attempt toward campus digitisation, the Odisha State Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has approved the ‘Odisha Shikshanet’ scheme with a sanctioned outlay of Rs. 393.62 crore. The initiative aims to offer secure, high-speed, free Wi-FI connectivity across 601 government and non-government aided degree colleges throughout the state over a three-year period (2026 to 2029). The project is designed to bridge the digital divide in higher education by granting students and academic faculty seamless access to online reference journals, digital libraries, and competitive learning platforms. Under the approved framework, each registered student will receive up to 1 GB of free high-speed internet data daily on campus.
Odisha Shikshanet Scheme 2026 Highlights
Given below are the key highlights of the Odisha Shikshanet Scheme, which is being introduced in the government and non-government aided colleges:-
|
Particulars |
Details |
|
Scehme Name |
Odisha Shikshanet |
|
Sanctioned Amount |
Rs. 393.62 Crore |
|
Approval Body |
State Cabinet (Chaired by CM Mohan Charan Majhi) |
|
Institutions Covered |
601 Government and Aided Colleges |
|
Primary Beneficiaries |
Over 6 Lakh Students and Faculty Members |
|
Implementation Time |
3 years (Financial Years 2026-27 to 2028-29) |
|
Free Data Quota |
Up to 1 GB High-Speed Data per Student Daily |
|
Scope of Work |
Campus-wide Wi-Fi, bandwidth provisioning, operation and maintenance |
Aligning Campuses with Digital India and NEP 2020
The state administration highlighted that the scheme is made in alignment with the goals of the National Education Policy (NEP) 20202, the Digital India mission, and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 9, and 10), and the state’s long-term Odisha Vision -2036 framework. Important operational features of the rollout include the following:-
- Making sure that the students in non-urban, semi-urban, and tribal area aided colleges have the same high-speed internet access as students in premier metropolitan universities.
- A dedicated centralised monitoring system will manage bandwidth distribution, cybersecurity protocols, and content filtering across connected campuses.
- The sanctioned budget covers end-to-end hardware installation, round-the-clock maintenance, and recurring optical fibre bandwidth costs for the entire three-year operational cycle.
Also check, BSE Odisha Class 10 Application Form 2027 Link Active; Check Registration Dates, Guidelines and More
Developing the State’s Higher Education Reforms
The clearance of the free WI-Fi initiative follows closely behind the state’s recent implementation of the Gyanodaya-Shiksha Ru Samruddhi scheme, which waived tuition and development fees for students from pre-primary up to the postgraduate level. By combining the free institutional education with complimentary digital connectivity on campuses, the state aims to increase research quality, facilitate self-paced learning through national platforms like SWAYAM and NPTEL, and equip undergraduate learners with the digital resources needed for competitive examinations and technical upskilling.
Also check, Free KG-to-PG Education Boosts Odisha UG Admissions College Enrolment Increases by 14,758 Students
