Odisha’s higher education department has refunded ₹69.23 crore in undergraduate admission fees to 1,11,678 students who paid during the first phase of admissions for the 2026-27 academic session, following the state government’s announcement of free education under the Gyanodaya – Shiksha Ru Samruddhi scheme.
The refund covers students who enrolled in the first phase of undergraduate admissions before the scheme was announced. Gyanodaya provides free education from kindergarten to postgraduate level for eligible students studying in government and government-aided institutions.
The higher education department asked students on Wednesday to check the bank accounts they had provided in their Common Application Forms, or CAFs, to confirm whether the money had been credited. The department’s instruction places the immediate responsibility on students to verify the status of their individual refunds.
The department said a dedicated link would soon be made available on the Student Academic Management System portal for students whose refunds have not been completed. The facility is intended to address failed transactions and incorrect bank account details submitted during the admission process.
Students affected by failed refunds will be able to use the SAMS facility to correct their bank details and facilitate the release of the admission fee. The department has not indicated in the supplied report how many transactions failed or how many students will need to use the correction facility.
The refund follows the government’s decision to introduce the Gyanodaya scheme after the first phase of admissions had already taken place. This required the department to return fees paid by eligible students rather than apply the benefit only to future admissions.
The move also illustrates the administrative steps involved when a new education benefit is introduced after an admission cycle has begun. Student records, payment information and bank details submitted through the common application process must be matched before refunds can be credited. Failed or incorrect banking information creates a further processing stage through the SAMS portal.
For students and families, the department’s next instruction is to check the account details recorded in their CAFs and confirm whether the ₹69.23 crore refund has reached them. Those who do not receive the money because of a failed transaction or incorrect bank information will have to wait for the dedicated SAMS link and update their details through the portal.
The higher education department’s next step is to activate the correction facility on SAMS for students who have not received their refunds.
