Free Bus Rides, Textbooks for All School Kids: Odisha Govt’s Big Education Push

Bhubaneswar: In a major step towards supporting school children and easing financial burden on parents, Odisha’s School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond has announced key initiatives including free bus travel and textbooks for all students from Classes 1 to 10.

“All students in school uniform and carrying valid identity cards will be allowed to travel free of cost in government-run buses,” the Minister said, highlighting the move as part of the government’s commitment to inclusive education.

Previously limited to SC and ST students, the provision of free textbooks will now be extended to all students in government schools, from Class I to Class X.

Gond also shared plans to revamp the primary education system in alignment with the National Education Policy. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) will be upgraded to match NCERT standards with a strong focus on quality learning.

Acknowledging poor infrastructure in many schools, Gond assured that the state government will prioritize improvements, following recent discussions with Chief Minister Mohan Majhi.