Odisha’s Higher Education Department has received the SKOCH Platinum Award 2026 for its Student Academic Management System (SAMS) portal, a recognition that highlights the state’s push toward digital and inclusive higher education.
SAMS serves as a centralised digital platform that manages student admissions and related academic processes across institutions in Odisha. Through a single online system, students can apply for courses, while colleges handle admissions and administrative records with reduced paperwork and greater transparency. The portal has grown from a limited pilot more than a decade ago into a statewide mechanism covering higher secondary, undergraduate, and several professional streams.
Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj congratulated the SAMS team on the award. He said the department continues to promote technology-based systems and work toward a stronger, more inclusive higher education framework in the state.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary Aravind Agrawal also extended congratulations to all stakeholders associated with the portal. He noted that the department has taken multiple steps to strengthen higher education delivery, improve the quality of learning, expand skill development and employment opportunities, and support the overall growth of students.
The SKOCH recognition places the SAMS initiative among projects acknowledged for practical governance outcomes and digital service delivery. Officials linked the award to sustained efforts by institutions, students, the service provider, and department staff who operate the system.
