CM Majhi Felicitates Educators, Launches New Education Initiatives in Odisha

Bhubaneswar : Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today felicitated outstanding contributors to the field of education at the state-level Mukhyamantri Shiksha Puraskar award ceremony, where districts, teachers, officers, and students were honoured for their achievements. Jharsuguda district, which secured the first position, was awarded ₹3 crore, while Khordha and Jagatsinghpur, ranked second and third, received ₹2 crore and ₹1 crore respectively.

Alongside, 70 teachers, three District Institutes of Education and Training (DIETs), three District Education Officers, and 10 Block Education Officers were recognised for their exemplary service. The Chief Minister also honoured two Scheduled Tribe students who excelled in the NEET examination, commending their determination and success.

Marking the occasion, Majhi launched the Odisha Curriculum Framework for School Education – 2025, developed in line with the National Education Policy. He also unveiled a coffee table book celebrating one year of the Nipun Odisha initiative and rolled out the ‘Padhiba, Gadhhiba Odisha’ campaign aimed at strengthening foundational literacy and numeracy across the state.

School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond highlighted the importance of the guru-shishya tradition, describing teachers as architects of discipline, values, and personality development in students. He added that the government is working to create a strong education system that integrates life skills, artificial intelligence, and vocational training, preparing students to be self-reliant. He further stressed ongoing efforts to reduce dropout rates, with measures like the Child Tracking Survey being used to bring back students to classrooms. The minister noted that the Education department has been allocated a record ₹31,000 crore budget to achieve these goals.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials, education stakeholders, and students. Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the School and Mass Education Department, Shalini Pandit, delivered the welcome address, while OSEPA Project Director Ananya Das proposed the vote of thanks.