Bhubaneswar, Oct 2: The Student Academic Management System (SAMS) portal of the Odisha Government’s Higher Education Department has been conferred with the prestigious SKOCH Platinum Award 2026 for its contribution to technology-driven education management.

SAMS is a digital platform that facilitates student admissions and manages various academic and higher education-related activities across Odisha. The platform has emerged as an important technology-enabled system for streamlining admission and academic processes for students across the state.

Congratulating the SAMS team on receiving the award, Odisha Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj said the department has been continuously working to promote a technology-driven higher education system and strengthen an inclusive higher education ecosystem in the state.

Higher Education Department Commissioner-cum-Secretary Aravind Agarwal also congratulated all stakeholders associated with SAMS for the achievement. He said the department has undertaken several initiatives aimed at strengthening the state’s higher education system, providing quality education, promoting skill development and employment opportunities, and ensuring the overall development of students.

The SAMS portal facilitates admissions and other higher education-related processes for a wide range of courses in Odisha, including Higher Secondary (+2), undergraduate (+3), postgraduate (PG), Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), physical education, ITI and diploma programmes, among others.

The SKOCH Platinum Award 2026 recognises the platform’s role in leveraging digital technology to simplify and streamline education-related services for students across the state.