Odisha Govt Widens KALIA Scholarship to Private Institutes & Professional Courses

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has revised the guidelines for the KALIA scholarship scheme to broaden its scope and accommodate more students. Launched in the 2021-22 fiscal year, the scholarship aims to provide financial assistance to the children of KALIA beneficiaries pursuing professional or technical education in government-run institutions in Odisha.

Approved by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the modifications include:

1. Scholarship coverage for students in private institutes within the state with an AISHE code.
2.  Inclusion of technical and professional courses in premier institutions like NIT, IIT, IIM, AIIMS, ICAR, IARI, IISER, NISER, IVRI, CIFE, and NDRI.
3. Addition of PG and PhD courses (Professional/Technical) for a maximum of 2 years and 4 years, respectively, in government institutions inside the state.
4. Inclusion of professional courses such as BBA, BCA, MBA, and MCA.
5. Course fees will be as per actual for government institution students and approved rates for those in private and premier institutes.
6. Exclusion of private institutions outside the state from participating in the KALIA scholarship.
7. The KALIA Scholarship portal (https://scholarship.odisha.gov.in) will be open for applications twice a year – July/August and November/December.

The scholarship, aimed at supporting students from the families of small & marginal farmers and landless agricultural labourers, has already assisted 1,789 students.