Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, has approved a ₹393.62-crore scheme to provide free Wi-Fi connectivity across 601 government and aided colleges in the state. The initiative, titled ‘Odisha Shikshanet – Empowering Students through a Free Wi-Fi Internet Facility to All Colleges and Universities’, will be implemented over three years, from the 2026-27 to 2028-29 financial years.
Under the scheme, every authenticated student will be eligible for up to 1 GB of free internet data per day within the college campus. The facility is expected to benefit more than six lakh students and faculty members by improving access to digital learning resources, online academic platforms and research materials.
According to the state government, the initiative aims to strengthen digital infrastructure in higher education institutions, particularly in rural, remote and economically weaker areas where students may face difficulties accessing reliable internet connectivity.
The scheme will build on the first phase of Odisha Shikshanet, under which Wi-Fi facilities have already been introduced in 130 colleges. The expansion to 601 government and aided institutions is expected to extend campus internet access to a larger section of the state's higher education community.
The project will include the installation of Wi-Fi infrastructure, bandwidth provisioning, network management, cybersecurity measures and operation and maintenance support. A centralised monitoring dashboard will also be established to monitor network performance, service availability, security and utilisation.
The internet facility will enable students to access e-books, digital libraries, virtual classrooms, research databases and online learning platforms, including SWAYAM and other Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). Students will also be able to use digital skill development platforms and competitive examination resources.
In addition to academic resources, the facility will support access to government education services and portals, including the Student Academic Management System (SAMS), Higher Education Information Management System (HIMS) and scholarship portals.
The initiative is expected to reduce students' dependence on personal mobile data plans or paid internet connections for academic activities. It could also support students who do not have reliable internet access at home by providing connectivity within their college campuses.
The approval was among 13 proposals cleared by the Odisha Cabinet at its meeting on Monday. The decisions covered various departments, including higher education, governance, infrastructure, agriculture and public services.
The state government has stated that Odisha Shikshanet is aligned with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Digital India programme and Sustainable Development Goals related to quality education, infrastructure and reduced inequalities.
With the proposed expansion, the scheme seeks to make digital resources more accessible to students across government and aided colleges in Odisha. Its implementation and the availability of reliable campus connectivity will be important factors in determining how effectively students can use the facility for learning, research and skill development.