Odisha Cabinet approves free Wi-Fi for college students and removes OCS attempt limit
The state government sanctioned a ₹393.62 crore scheme to provide internet connectivity to 601 colleges and amended civil services rules.
The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has approved 13 major proposals covering education, governance, and infrastructure, according to ANI and The News Mill.
Under the Odisha Shikshanet scheme, the government will spend ₹393.62 crore to provide free Wi-Fi and up to 1 GB of daily data to students in 601 government and aided colleges. The initiative, spanning the 2026-27 to 2028-29 financial years, aims to benefit over 600,000 students and faculty members.
The Cabinet also approved an amendment to the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) Examination rules to remove the limit on the number of attempts. According to Urban Acres, eligible candidates can now appear for the exam any number of times until they reach the upper age limit, which is 42 years for general category candidates.
Previously, general category candidates were restricted to six attempts, while those from socially and educationally backward classes had nine. The new rules remove these category-wise numerical restrictions, provided candidates meet other eligibility criteria.
In agriculture, the Cabinet set a rice procurement target of 53 LMT for the Kharif Marketing Season 2026-27. Under this policy, farmers will receive ₹3,100 per quintal, which includes the Minimum Support Price and input assistance.
Other approved measures include seven lift irrigation schemes in Nuapada district costing ₹268.22 crore and two in-stream storage projects in Balangir district. The Cabinet also approved the Odisha Bovine Breeding (Regulation) Bill, 2026, to regulate livestock breeding services.