Bhubaneswar, Jul 14: The Odisha government has rolled out its Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the ambitious free education scheme from Kindergarten to Post-Graduation (KG to PG).

The SOP outlines the process for refunding admission fees to students once the first phase of enrollment is completed.

Officials clarified that refunds will be made directly to the bank accounts from which admission payments were originally made. Since all transactions were conducted online, the government already possesses a digital database of payment records.

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Students will not be required to submit fresh applications for refunds. Instead, they will be asked whether the refund should go to the same account used during admission, and the process will be carried out accordingly.

In higher education, nearly 80,000 students had taken admission, of which 65,000 later changed their choices. Refunds will be processed after the admission cycle concludes.

To ensure transparency, a State-Level Fee Regulation Committee will be formed under the chairmanship of the Education Secretary. The committee will include principals and government-appointed members, and will be responsible for determining fee structures.

To prevent misuse of the scheme, students will be required to maintain at least 75 per cent attendance. Colleges will submit digital attendance reports to the government for verification.

This measure follows recommendations earlier made by the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) regarding scholarship schemes, which have now been incorporated into the new education plan.

Additionally, aided colleges will receive government funds within the same financial year, ensuring timely disbursement.

“The SOP has already been circulated to all colleges across the state,” informed Odisha Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj.

The government believes this scheme will not only reduce the financial burden on families but also encourage higher participation in education across Odisha.