Bhubaneswar, Jul 14: The Odisha government has cleared the confusion surrounding its free KG-to-PG education initiative by issuing a detailed Standard Operating Procedure (SOP). The Higher Education Department has outlined the eligibility criteria, fee reimbursement mechanism, and institutional responsibilities under the scheme.

Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said the initiative aims to ensure that no student is deprived of higher education due to financial constraints. He also clarified that colleges will not be allowed to increase fees arbitrarily under the scheme.

Students who have already paid admission fees during the first round of admissions will receive a full refund. The amount will be credited directly to the same bank account from which the payment was originally made through the Student Academic Management System (SAMS).

The government has also decided that re-admissions for the current academic year will be conducted through SAMS. To ensure colleges do not face financial difficulties, the state government will reimburse institutions in installments throughout the academic year.

Under the reimbursement model, colleges will receive 10% of the eligible amount after admissions, followed by 15% in the second installment, and the remaining amount in three installments of 25% each.

Eligibility Criteria

To avail the benefits of the scheme, students must:

Be enrolled in a regular undergraduate (UG) or postgraduate (PG) programme through the SAMS portal.

Be taking admission to a UG or PG course for the first time or applying for re-admission.

Maintain a minimum attendance of 75%. In exceptional circumstances, attendance may be relaxed, but it cannot fall below 65%. Students failing to meet this requirement will not be eligible for the scheme.

The government has clarified that all admission and re-admission fees charged by educational institutions will be covered, except for examination fees, which students will have to pay themselves.

Hostel and Professional Courses Excluded

The SOP specifies that hostel fees are not covered under the scheme. Students opting to stay in hostels will have to bear those expenses separately.

Additionally, professional courses have been excluded from the ambit of the free education scheme.

Fee Hike Restrictions for Colleges

The government has also imposed strict restrictions on fee revisions. State universities, government colleges, and aided private colleges covered under the Gyanodaya Scheme will not be allowed to revise or increase fees for eligible regular courses.

However, in exceptional circumstances, institutions may submit a proposal to the Fee Regulation Committee seeking approval for any fee revision.

The Higher Education Department said the SOP is intended to ensure smooth implementation of the flagship scheme while making higher education more accessible and affordable for students across Odisha.