Bhubaneswar, Oct 14 (UDN): The Odisha government has approved a five-year scheme worth ₹284.07 crore to provide free textbooks to approximately 28.7 lakh students in Classes 9 and 10 studying in government and government-aided secondary schools.
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The scheme, approved by the state Cabinet at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, will run from the 2025–26 academic year to 2029–30.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg announced the decision during a post-Cabinet briefing, stating that the initiative would extend free textbook benefits to students who are not already covered under existing provisions for Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) students, who currently receive textbooks free of cost.
Scheme Aims to Reduce Financial Burden and Dropouts
The initiative aims to ease the financial burden on families, particularly those from economically weaker sections, by eliminating the cost of textbooks for eligible students.
The government expects the scheme to encourage school enrolment, reduce dropout rates and facilitate the transition from elementary to secondary education by removing financial barriers.
According to Garg, the scheme has an estimated outlay of ₹284.07 crore over five years and is expected to cover around 28.7 lakh beneficiaries.
Textbooks to Be Distributed Before Academic Sessions
The School and Mass Education Department will oversee the implementation of the scheme and ensure that textbooks reach schools before the beginning of each academic session.
The distribution process will include paper procurement, printing, transportation and delivery to schools. These activities will be undertaken through a transparent and competitive process in accordance with the Odisha General Financial Rules and applicable procurement guidelines.
The department will also conduct field-level verification of student details to ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive the textbooks.
With the initiative, the state government aims to improve access to secondary education, support students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds and strengthen school retention across Odisha.