Odisha approves Rs 393.62-crore scheme for free college Wi-Fi
The Odisha Shikshanet initiative will provide high-speed internet to 601 government and aided colleges over three years.
The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, approved a Rs 393.62-crore scheme on Monday to provide free high-speed Wi-Fi to 601 government and aided colleges across the state. According to Odisha Bytes and ANI, the 'Odisha Shikshanet' programme will be implemented during the 2026-27 to 2028-29 financial years.
Under this initiative, authenticated students will receive up to 1 GB of free internet data every day while on campus. Chief Secretary Anu Garg told reporters that the facility is intended to support academic, research, and skill development activities.
The project aims to benefit more than six lakh students and faculty members. It will involve installing Wi-Fi infrastructure, managing bandwidth, ensuring cybersecurity, and providing maintenance support. A centralised dashboard will also be used to monitor connectivity and security.
The scheme builds on an initial phase that already covered 130 colleges. It is designed to help students in rural and remote areas access digital resources such as e-books, virtual classrooms, and scholarship portals like SAMS and HIMS.
The initiative aligns with the National Education Policy 2020 and the Digital India programme. Business Standard noted that similar schemes have been implemented in states including Bihar, Kerala, and Rajasthan.