Bhubaneswar: Good news for students of Odia medium private schools, as they are also entitled to receive free textbooks like state-run schools in Odisha.

To strengthen school education under the 5T initiative, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed authorities to provide free textbooks to students of all private and non-aided Odia medium schools in the state from the next academic session.

As per the order, the initiative will be implemented from the academic year 2024-25. Under the programme, the students from Class I to VIII will get free textbooks from the state government.

With the implementation of the programme, more than 5 lakh students of 3620 private and non-aided schools providing education in Odia medium in the state will be benefited.

The state government will bear expenses of Rs 9.43 crore per annum for free textbooks to private school students.

Notably, the students in private Odia medium schools have been performing well in annual High School Certificate Examination and have also been showing their skills in various fields. The state government has been providing free textbooks to students at all government schools in the state as well as the Odia children in other states like West Bengal, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.