Odisha Students To Get Admission Fee Refunds Under Gyanodaya Scheme The Odisha government has refunded Rs 69.23 crore in college admission fees to 1,11,678 students under its Gyanodaya–Shiksha Ru Samruddhi free education scheme for the 2026–27 academic session, officials said. According to PTI, the refunds were initiated because the first phase of undergraduate admissions had concluded before the scheme was implemented, prompting students to pay admission fees to their respective institutions. The Higher Education Department has transferred the amount directly to the bank accounts of eligible students. The department has advised students to check the bank accounts provided in their Common Application Forms (CAFs) on the Student Academic Management System (SAMS) portal to confirm whether the money has been credited. Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj has asked students who have not received their refunds to update their bank details to facilitate the transfer. According to officials, a dedicated link will be made available shortly on the SAMS student login portal. Students whose refunds could not be processed because of incorrect bank account details or failed transactions will be able to use the facility to correct their information. Students can visit the official SAMS Odisha website at samsodisha.gov.in for updates and further instructions regarding the refund process. The Gyanodaya–Shiksha Ru Samruddhi scheme, also known as the KG to PG Free Education scheme, was introduced from the 2026–27 academic session to provide free education to eligible students in government and government-aided educational institutions in Odisha. Under the scheme, eligible students enrolled in regular undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at state public universities, government colleges and government-aided private colleges are entitled to the specified fee waiver. The initiative aims to reduce the financial burden on students and their families and improve access to higher education. The Odisha Cabinet approved the broader KG-to-PG free education initiative in July 2026, with the government projecting that around 32 lakh students across eligible institutions would benefit from the scheme. Students should follow official Higher Education Department and SAMS notifications for further information on eligibility and pending refunds. Lakshima Sareen is a Senior Copy Editor with the Digital Education Desk at Times Now, specialising in education news, exam updates, and policy reporti... View More