Bhubaneswar: In a move to make higher education more accessible, the Odisha Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) to provide study materials in the Odia language.

As per the agreement, IGNOU will offer students in Odisha the option to access study materials for higher education and professional courses in Odia. The university will undertake the translation of these materials, both in print and digital formats.

Odisha Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj informed the translation work is expected to be completed within two years. He added more than 50 IGNOU courses, including certificate and diploma programmes, will be made available in Odia.

To support the initiative, the State Government will allocate approximately ₹2.45 crore from the State exchequer.

“This step will help break language barriers and encourage more students from diverse backgrounds to pursue higher education,” the Minister said.