Odisha cabinet clears ₹393.62 crore free Wi-Fi scheme for 601 colleges
Synopsis
Odisha is spending ₹393.62 crore to wire up 601 colleges with free Wi-Fi over three years — a nearly fivefold jump from the 130 colleges covered in Phase-I. With 6 lakh students in line to get 1 GB of free daily data, the Shikshanet scheme is the state's most ambitious digital-equity push in higher education yet.
Key Takeaways
The Odisha Cabinet approved the ₹393.62 crore Odisha Shikshanet scheme on 11 November 2026 .
Free Wi-Fi will be extended to 601 government and aided colleges , up from 130 covered in Phase-I.
Each authenticated student gets up to 1 GB of free internet data per day for academic and research use.
The scheme is expected to benefit over 6 lakh students and faculty , with a focus on rural and economically weaker sections.
Implementation spans three financial years from FY 2026-27 to FY 2028-29 .
The cabinet also cleared a Paddy Procurement Policy for KMS 2026-27 and the draft Odisha Bovine Breeding (Regulation) Bill, 2026 .
The Odisha Cabinet on Monday, 11 November 2026, approved a ₹393.62 crore flagship scheme to provide free, high-speed Wi-Fi connectivity to 601 government and aided colleges and universities across the state, with the rollout scheduled over three financial years from FY 2026-27 to FY 2028-29. The decision was taken at the 49th state cabinet meeting in Bhubaneswar, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.
What the Scheme Covers
Formally titled 'Odisha Shikshanet — Empowering Students through a Free Wi-Fi Internet Facility to all Colleges and Universities', the initiative is led by the state's Higher Education Department. It builds on a Phase-I rollout already completed across 130 colleges, now scaling up nearly fivefold.
Under the scheme, every authenticated student will receive up to 1 GB of free internet data per day within the campus, earmarked for academic, research, and skill development use. The infrastructure package covers Wi-Fi installation, bandwidth provisioning, network management, cybersecurity support, and ongoing operation and maintenance.
Who Stands to Benefit
The government stated that the initiative is expected to benefit over 6 lakh students and faculty members at government and aided higher education institutions. The scheme specifically targets students from rural, remote, and economically weaker sections, aiming to bridge the digital divide in higher education access.
Supported platforms under the scheme include e-books, digital libraries, virtual classrooms, SWAYAM and other MOOCs, research databases, competitive examination resources, digital skill development portals, and e-governance services such as SAMS, HIMS, and state scholarship portals.
Oversight and Monitoring
A centralised monitoring dashboard will be deployed to track service delivery, network uptime, security, and utilisation levels across all participating institutions. The government cited this as a safeguard for efficient and accountable implementation at scale.
Other Key Cabinet Decisions
Beyond the Wi-Fi scheme, the cabinet cleared a comprehensive Food and Paddy Procurement Policy for Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27, designed to ensure transparent procurement at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), timely farmer payments, efficient milling, and uninterrupted supply of rice under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
The cabinet also approved the draft Odisha Bovine Breeding (Regulation) Bill, 2026 for introduction in the Odisha Legislative Assembly. The proposed legislation establishes a regulatory framework for scientific and quality breeding services in the state. In all, 13 proposals spanning 10 departments received cabinet approval during the session.
With implementation set to run through FY 2028-29, the full impact of the Shikshanet scheme on student outcomes and digital equity in Odisha will become clearer as the rollout progresses beyond Phase-I.
Point of View
But the gap between scheme approval and functional, high-quality connectivity at 601 campuses is where most state tech-in-education initiatives have stumbled. Phase-I's expansion to 130 colleges provides a baseline, but no independent outcome data on student usage or academic impact has been published — an omission that makes the '6 lakh beneficiaries' figure hard to verify independently. The ₹393.62 crore outlay is significant for a state budget of Odisha's size, and the centralised monitoring dashboard is a credible accountability mechanism on paper; its real test will be whether uptime and usage data are made publicly accessible. The simultaneous passage of a paddy procurement policy and a bovine breeding bill signals a wide-ranging cabinet agenda, but the Wi-Fi scheme is the one with the clearest long-term equity dividend — if executed.
NationPress
9 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Odisha Shikshanet scheme?
Odisha Shikshanet is a state government initiative to provide free, high-speed Wi-Fi internet to all government and aided colleges and universities in Odisha. Approved by the cabinet on 11 November 2026, it carries an outlay of ₹393.62 crore and will roll out across 601 institutions over three years from FY 2026-27 to FY 2028-29.
How much free internet data will students get under this scheme?
Every authenticated student will receive up to 1 GB of free internet data per day within their campus. The data is designated for academic, research, and skill development purposes, including access to digital libraries, SWAYAM MOOCs, and e-governance portals.
How many students will benefit from the Odisha free Wi-Fi scheme?
The government expects over 6 lakh students and faculty members across government and aided higher education institutions to benefit. The scheme specifically prioritises students from rural, remote, and economically weaker backgrounds.
How is the new scheme different from the earlier Phase-I rollout?
Phase-I of the Wi-Fi initiative covered 130 colleges in Odisha. The newly approved scheme expands coverage nearly fivefold to 601 government and aided colleges and universities, with a full infrastructure package that includes cybersecurity and a centralised monitoring dashboard.
What other proposals did the Odisha Cabinet approve on 11 November 2026?
In addition to the Wi-Fi scheme, the cabinet approved a Food and Paddy Procurement Policy for Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27 to ensure MSP-based transparent procurement, and the draft Odisha Bovine Breeding (Regulation) Bill, 2026 for tabling in the state legislature. A total of 13 proposals across 10 departments were cleared.
