The Odisha government will bear the entire educational expenses of SC and ST students pursuing professional courses such as MBBS and engineering in government-run institutions.

They will be given financial assistance under the Mukhyamantri Medhabi Chattra Prosthan Yojana (MMCPY). It will also reimburse the entire course fees of eligible SC and ST students, studying medical and engineering at various government-run institutions.

In a letter to the district collectors, the commissioner-cum-secretary to the ST and SC development, minorities and backward classes welfare department, Roopa Roshan Sahoo, said: “Under MMCPY, for those eligible ST and SC students studying in government institutions offering MBSS and Engineering (BTech and MTech) courses, the entire course fee of the course tenure will be covered.”

The course fee includes admission charge, initial annual course fee (tuition fee and all compulsory payable charges to the institution), hostel admission charges, annual hostel or mess charges and any other incidental expenses for study such as purchase of books, study materials, coaching and tutorial expenses.

The letter said: “All such expenses duly signed by the dean or head of the institutions and students may be forwarded to the district collector for reimbursement under the scheme.”

It further said: “Thus, for all eligible ST and SC students from the year 2023-2024 onwards, the entire component as described above shall be borne by the government.”

The secretary has asked all the district collectors to give adequate publicity to
the scheme by affixing the same on notice boards, orienting the faculties, and authorities of the institutions and making it mandatory upon every such institution to orient the students on September 11 and repeat the same every month.