The Odisha government has announced that it will distribute free textbooks to students of private and non-aided Odia medium schools across the state starting from the next academic year. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has approved the proposal to provide free textbooks to students in grades I to VIII as part of the government’s 5T initiative. This initiative aims to improve transparency, teamwork, technology, and time management in government processes.
This decision will benefit around 500,000 students from 3,620 private and non-aided Odia medium schools. The state government will need to allocate an additional budget of Rs 9.43 crore per year for this scheme.
Previously, the government only provided free textbooks for students in government-run schools. However, after observing the good performance of students from private and non-aided Odia medium schools in the annual High School Certificate examinations and their achievements in various fields, the government decided to extend this benefit to them as well.
Overall, this initiative aims to ensure that all students in Odisha have access to educational resources and opportunities for their academic growth and success.
