New Delhi/Bhubaneswar, Jan 1: In a significant step towards expanding higher education opportunities in Odisha, President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday virtually inaugurated a new Regional Centre of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) at Rairangpur in Mayurbhanj district, officials said.

The inauguration, held through video conferencing, marked the beginning of a new chapter for students across Odisha.

Expanding Access to Higher Education

The newly established centre will cater to students from Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore, Bhadrak, and Jajpur and other districts. Until now, learners from these regions were dependent on IGNOU’s Bhubaneswar Regional Centre. With the new facility, students can directly enroll and access academic and skill development programmes closer to home.

Presidential Address

President Murmu, herself a former teacher, underscored the importance of education and skill development in empowering rural and tribal communities. She highlighted the need to integrate local resources, workforce, and modern technologies such as Artificial Intelligence to enhance capacity building. “For a developed India, our workforce must rise from 50 to 75 percent participation, and skill development is the foundation for this transformation,” she said.

Pradhan Highlights Role of IGNOU

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who attended the event virtually, said the centre would boost employment and entrepreneurship in the region. He emphasized that technology-driven education and skill training would help build a self-reliant and prosperous “New India.” Minister of State for Skill Development Jayant Chaudhary also joined the programme, stressing the role of IGNOU in democratizing access to higher education.

Local Leaders Grace Ceremony

The inauguration ceremony at Rairangpur’s Mahatab Bhavan witnessed the presence of Odisha’s Forest and Environment Minister Ganesh Ram Singh Khuntia, Mayurbhanj MP Navacharan Majhi, local legislators, and district officials. Manoj Kumar Das, Regional Director of IGNOU Bhubaneswar, expressed gratitude for the new centre, noting that it would significantly ease the academic journey of thousands of students.

The establishment of the Rairangpur Regional Centre reflects the Centre’s commitment to expanding educational infrastructure in underserved regions, linking skill development with higher education, and preparing India’s youth for a technology-driven future.