Odisha ShikshaNet: free Wi-Fi in 601 colleges, OCS attempt cap lifted

Students in 601 government and aided colleges across Odisha will get free campus Wi-Fi with up to 1 GB of data a day under a new scheme, Odisha ShikshaNet, approved by the state cabinet on Monday, 9 November 2026. The scheme has an outlay of Rs 393.62 crore over three years, from 2026-27 to 2028-29. At the same meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, the cabinet removed the limit on the number of attempts that eligible candidates can make at the Odisha Civil Services (OCS) Examination. The two decisions were among 13 proposals cleared at the cabinet's 49th meeting.

For many college students in Odisha, especially those from villages and low-income families, mobile data is a real expense. Online lectures, digital libraries, exam forms, scholarship portals and job applications all need a steady connection. Free campus Wi-Fi with a daily allowance of 1 GB means a student can download study material, attend online classes or fill in forms without spending their own money on data. The scheme is limited to campus, so it encourages students to use college as a place to study online.

The move from 130 colleges in the first phase to 601 colleges is a big expansion. It brings government and aided colleges closer to the internet access that better-funded campuses can offer. The scheme also pays for cyber security and for operating and maintaining the networks, not just installing them.

The OCS decision matters to a different group: graduates preparing for the state's civil services examination. Until now, candidates could take the exam only a limited number of times. Removing that cap means candidates who are otherwise eligible can keep trying, which is especially important for those who started late or had to stop preparing for family or financial reasons. The government has not yet published the detailed rules, so aspirants should watch for the official notification on eligibility and age.

For students, the practical step is to check with their college when ShikshaNet goes live on campus and how to authenticate, and for OCS aspirants to read the next official OCS notification closely.

Peepals calculation: the Rs 393.62 crore outlay works out to about Rs 131.2 crore a year (393.62 / 3) and about Rs 65.5 lakh per college over three years (393.62 crore / 601). If the scheme reaches 6 lakh students, the cost is about Rs 6,560 per student over three years (393.62 crore / 6 lakh), or roughly Rs 2,190 a year. The number of colleges covered rises about 4.6 times, from 130 to 601 (601 / 130 ≈ 4.62). Our calculation from the reported figures.

Short-term: Colleges and the state will begin setting up Wi-Fi networks under ShikshaNet, and OCS aspirants who had used up their attempts may become eligible again once rules are notified.

Long-term: Steady free internet on campus can narrow the digital gap between government colleges and better-funded institutions, while unlimited attempts widen the pool of candidates for the state's civil services.

Who is affected: Over 6 lakh students in Odisha's government and aided colleges, college administrations, and graduates preparing for the Odisha Civil Services Examination.

What to watch next: The official notification of the revised OCS rules and the roll-out schedule for ShikshaNet in colleges.

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