Finance
In a historic move to make higher education more inclusive and accessible, the Odisha Government’s Higher Education Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in New Delhi.
The arrangement will allow IGNOU to provide a diverse range of academic and vocational courses in the Odia language.
According to an official press release, the MoU was formally signed during a ceremony in Bhubaneswar attended by Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj, who described the endeavor as a watershed moment in Odisha’s educational environment. “With this MoU, language will no longer be a barrier to education. The Minister stated that students can now take undergraduate, postgraduate, diploma, certificate, and professional courses in their home tongue, such as BBA and MBA.
He noted that the program is consistent with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes the use of regional languages in education. The administration hopes that by allowing instruction in Odia, it will encourage student innovation, lower dropout rates, and enhance the state’s Gross Enrollment Ratio in higher education.
Students from across Odisha—from Balasore to Malkangiri—joined the event virtually and applauded the move. Many expressed that studying in their mother tongue would make learning more engaging and accessible.
The agreement also allows for Odia-medium programs in vocational education, travel and tourist management, and other skill-oriented fields, considerably increasing prospects for students in the state’s rural and tribal areas.
The occasion also included Commissioner-cum-Secretary of Higher Education Arvind Agrawal, Special Secretary Ramakant Nayak, IGNOU Vice-Chancellor Professor Uma Kanjilal, and Registrar Dr. Alok Chaube. The dignitaries underscored the partnership’s transformative potential for improving educational equity and outreach.
