Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced on Sunday that approximately 800 schools will be transformed into model educational institutions as part of the PM Schools for Rising India (PM SHRI) scheme, according to a report by the Press Trust of India (PTI). These schools will feature modern infrastructure, digital education, smart classrooms, and innovative teaching methods, Majhi stated.

During an event at Kushaleswar Government High School in Keonjhar district, Majhi emphasized that education is not solely for job acquisition but is essential for life development. “In today’s competitive era, along with academic knowledge, skills, creativity, and new ideas are essential,” the chief minister remarked. He praised the school’s education system for imparting not just textual knowledge but also ethics, discipline, and values.

Majhi mentioned that the state budget for 2026-27 includes a provision of over Rs 31,997 crore for the school and mass education department. In the past year and a half, around 20,000 teachers have been appointed, with plans to hire an additional 45,000 teachers. He also noted that efforts are being made to establish Godabarish Mishra Adarsh Primary Schools in every panchayat.

The PM SHRI School is a centrally sponsored initiative by the Government of India, designed to provide a safe and stimulating learning environment with diverse learning experiences, good physical infrastructure, and resources conducive to education.

The scheme aims to cultivate students into engaged, productive, and contributing citizens, fostering an equitable, inclusive, and plural society, in line with the goals of the National Education Policy 2020.