The second meeting of the State Task Force on the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was held at the Lokseva Bhawan in Bhubaneswar to review interdepartmental progress on the policy’s rollout in Odisha.
The meeting was chaired by Anu Garg, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary, and attended by key officials from departments including Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes Development, School and Mass Education, Skill Development and Technical Education, Higher Education, Women and Child Development, Planning and Convergence, as well as representatives from the Directorate of Teacher Education, SCERT, OSEPA, and partner organizations.
The Task Force discussed outcome-oriented strategies and the development of an IT-enabled monitoring system to track student performance. Emphasis was laid on promoting Multilingual Education (MLE) and enhancing institutional capacities across the education sector. Collaborative training programs for Shishu Vatika teachers have been implemented with support from NCERT and RIE Bhubaneswar, complemented by the distribution of updated workbooks and teacher handbooks across the state.
The Directorate of Teacher Education and SCERT are being strengthened to play a central role in curriculum development, textbook preparation, and teacher training from pre-primary to Class XII, in alignment with NCERT guidelines. A special statewide survey launched in May 2025 is currently underway to identify out-of-school children, children with special needs (CwSN), and regional MLE requirements, helping to prevent dropouts and re-integrate students into the education system.
A key highlight of Odisha’s NEP implementation is the introduction of the Holistic Progress Card (HPC) for students in Classes I to VIII, launched in the 2024–25 academic year, focusing on creativity, critical thinking, and life skills. The state has also made notable advances in foundational education, with over 45,000 Shishu Vatika classrooms established. Initiatives such as the “Sikhayan Sopan” assessment register, e-Jaadui Pitara app, and other technology-driven teaching tools continue to support student learning.
Odisha is also promoting flagship schemes like PM SHRI and the Godabarisha Mishra Adarsha Prathamik Vidyalaya model schools as part of its broader NEP implementation strategy.
